Srinagar, July 12: Death prevented Abrar Ahmad Khan from celebrating his 17th birthday later this month. Abrar fell to the bullets of police in Maisuma area of the city last week.
His friends and near ones were eagerly waiting for July 31 to celebrate his birthday. But destiny had something else in store. Abrar was among four persons killed by police and paramilitary CRPF troopers in separate incidents on Tuesday here.
 A narrow lane in the congested Maisuma leads to Abrar’s house, where family members and relatives find it hard to believe that their beloved is no more.
 Benumbed by the death of their youngest child, his parents Ghulam Ahmed Khan and Razia Begum are in shock. “Our son was innocent and killed without any provocation by cops,” they said.
 As Abrar’s brother Hilal Ahmed Khan shows the photograph and date-of-birth certificate of his deceased brother, his sisters Rukhsana and Bilqees jostle to kiss the picture and call their dead brother back in their wails.
 A student of 9th class, Abrar was youngest among his four siblings. “We had high expectations from him. I worked hard to support the family and Abrar’s education. Little we knew that he would leave us alone,” Hilal said.
 The family maintains that Abrar was not part of protest or stone-pelting.
 “He had gone to watch the protests. After offering Nimaz, he was playing carom with his friends in front of his house. Suddenly they went to watch the protesters coming from Batamaloo carrying body of a lady killed earlier in police firing. The cops without any provocation fired directly on him shooting him in neck and arms,” they said.
 An eyewitness Asif Ahmad said, “He breathed his last in my lap on way to SMHS Hospital.”
 “Let police prove that our son was involved in stone-pelting. After his death some policemen told us that they mistakenly killed Abrar and their target was another youth. If the government is sincere they should provide us justice by punishing the guilty cops,” the family demanded.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST