Massive protests in Pattan after youth’s body found
Police assures probe
Srinagar, August 10: Massive late evening protests erupted in north Kashmir’s Pattan after body of a youth, who was allegedly missing in police custody since fortnight, was recovered in a river even as Kashmir valley remained largely peaceful amid continued restrictions and curfew on Tuesday.
Reports said that thousands of men and women took to streets in Keeri and other adjoining areas in the Pattan assembly constituency in Baramulla district this evening after body of an 18-year-old, Syed Farhat Bukhari son of Bashir Ahmad Bukhari was recovered from Nallah Nigili near Choora village in Kreeri.
Locals allege that the youth was picked on 28 July last by security forces following stone-pelting protests in the Keeri area. People had held demos for next two days to protest the arrest while as police denied having detained the youth.
Sources said that agitated protesters attacked a Police post near Chooru, prompting aerial firing and teargas shelling by the security forces. When reports last came in, the situation was very tense. No police officer in the district could be contacted despite repeated attempts while as a police spokesman here assured probe into the ‘murder’.
“A case U/S 302 RPC shall be registered and investigation conducted professionally in a transparent manner so that causes of this murder are revealed and culprits brought to justice,” the spokesman said. “Instructions have been issued to the concerned Police to have the postmortem conducted by a board of doctors in the presence of a Magistrate and investigation conducted speedily,” the spokesman added.
Meanwhile, authorities continued with strict restrictions and curfew in wake of the strike and protests called by separatist Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Fearing protests against the death of a teenager overnight who succumbed to wounds, administration clamped curfew in several areas of the city while severe restrictions were put in place in other districts.
In Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, curfew or curfew-like remained imposed in old city and a few areas in the civil lines.
Security Forces and policemen were deployed on all roads that presented deserted streets of the city to enforce restrictions. The police had also put barricades at several places leading to the old city.
Despite restrictions, hundreds of people in Hyderpora, Danderkhah, Batmaloo, old Barzulla, Muchoo and other areas offered prayers on the roads and staged peaceful demonstrations.
Sources aid that peaceful protests were also held in areas of Bandipore, Kupwara, Baramulla north as also in Pulwama and Anantnag in the south Kashmir.
Due to the restrictions, all shops, offices, educational institutes, banks, petrol pumps, business establishments and government offices across the valley remained closed for another day.
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