2 more die in Kashmir, toll 62
Srinagar, August 20: while as a teenager injured overnight succumbed in northern Sopore town, one more youth was killed in fresh firing in southern Kashmir’s Bijbhera area, taking the death toll to 62 in the unrest since June 11.
Official sources said that a 23-yaer-old Nasir Ahmad Son of Abdul Rehman was killed when police opened fire to disperse protesters in Bijbhera on Srinagar-Jammu national Highway.
“A huge mob tried to set the police station and the SDPO office on fire by throwing petrol bombs. The policemen inside the police station had to fire some rubber pallets in self defense. Two persons sustained injuries, one of whom is reported to have died,” a police spokesman said here in a statement. “The unruly mob set ablaze a SFC truck, a goods truck and a Bike outside the police station,” the spokesman added.
Meanwhile, curfew remained clamped in eight major towns in the Kashmir Valley as a precautionary measure after one person injured in firing succumbed to injuries in Sopore.
“Curfew is in force in Sopore, Baramulla, Pattan, Anantnag, Qaimoh, Kulgam, Kupwara and Handwara as a precautionary measure”, police said.
It said the step was taken in view of apprehensions of breach of peace in these towns.
Police said there was no curfew or restrictions in force on in Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Shopian and Bandipora districts.
Police said CRPF troops of 177 battalion were attacked by the stone-pelting mob when they were withdrawing after performing their duties at Chinkipora, Sopore, 55 kms from here, last evening.
The troops opened fire to quell the mob, leaving three persons injured. A man identified as Mudassir Nazar succumbed to his wounds in a hospital this morning, it said.
The mob also threw a broken bottle at the assistant commandant, SK Das, leaving him injured, it said
Meanwhile, police has registered murder case against the CRPF for killing the teenager.
“We have filed a case Fir No 413/2010 under section 302 RPC against the CRPF. Further investigations are on,” Station House Officer (SHO) Sopore, Aftab Ahmad said.
CRPF Pulic Relation Officer, Prabakar Tripathi said assistant commandant, S.K. Das, who was leading the withdrawal at Sopore was grievously injured when a mob attacked the party with broken bottles. According to him, the officer fired two rounds from a pellet gun which might have caused splinter injury to those hit.
The police claimed there were no protests or stone throwing incidents when the security forces opened fire.
Meanwhile, chairman of his faction of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani was placed this morning under house arrest as a precautionary measure, police said.
Geelani, who is spearheading the ongoing agitation in the Valley, was put under house arrest as he was planning to lead Burzahama in soutkirts of here.
Shops and business markets, banks, educational institutions and private offices reopened and all modes of transport were back on the roads barring the curfew-bound areas.
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