Srinagar, July 6: In the latest spate of killings by police and paramilitary CRPF in Kashmir, four persons, including a young woman, were dropped dead and around hundred persons including policemen and media persons injured in the summer capital on Tuesday. As the situation deteriorated fast in and around the Srinagar city, authorities clamped indefinite curfew across the summer capital.
It all started at Gangbugh locality in Batamaloo, where massive protests broke out today against the death of a young boy in the CRPF custody Monday. Witnesses said the youth, Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat, 17 son of Ghulam Muhammad Bhat of Tengpora, By-pass went missing last evening when CRPF were chasing away a group of young boys after mild protests and stone-pelting in the area.
“The family and the neighbours of the youth looked for him till midnight while the protests continued till late night,” witnesses said.
“The boy was picked up by CRPF and beaten to death. His body was disposed off by troopers near the Gangbugh stream during the night,” they said. Police, however, claimed that he drowned into the stream when paramilitary troopers were chasing away a group of youth. In the morning, as locals came to know about the incident, they spilled out onto the streets and staged massive protests. The angry protesters pelted stones on police and paramilitary troopers.
Police caned protesters; lobbed tear-smoke canisters and opened fire on the mourners carrying the coffin of Muzaffar for funeral prayers. A bullet hit a civilian in his throat and he died on the spot. The deceased was identified as Fayaz Ahmad Wani, son of Nazir Ahmad Wani of Tengpora. Several other persons, including 12 photojournalists, were injured in the police action.
Violent clashes broke out between the protesters and forces. Policemen and CRPF troopers ran amuck and indiscriminately beat up mourners carrying the coffins of the two youth, forcing them to leave the coffins on the road.
The forces repeatedly fired dozens of tear smoke canisters and several rounds of live ammunition in the air to scare away the defiant protesters. Hundreds of people, including several pro-freedom leaders, took part in the funeral prayers of the two youth.

WOMEN KILLED AT BATAMALOO
In the afternoon, bullet hit a woman in the Dandarkha locality in Batamaloo. Witnesses said Fancy Jan, 25 daughter of Abdul Rahman of Dandarkha was standing near a window of her house when a bullet hit her in the chest. She died on the spot, witnesses said.
Enraged over the unabated killings, entire Batamaloo erupted in massive protests. Carrying the coffin of the women, hundreds of people, shouting pro-freedom, anti-police and anti-CRPF slogans, started marching towards Lal Chowk. However, police lobbed tear gas shells and resorted to aerial firing to intercept the procession. The procession turned back from Magarmal Bagh towards Batamaloo, where police again used force on the mourners before the funeral prayers of the deceased lady were offered at the local graveyard.

1 KILLED, 1 INJURED AT MAISUMA
At Maisuma, police opened fire on a group of mourners protesting the killing of Fayaz Ahmad Wani at Batamaloo. Wani was originally a resident of Maisuma and had shifted to Gangbugh.
In the police firing, a 16-year-old boy, Abrar Ahmad Khan, son of Ghulam Ahmad Khan of Maisuma died on the spot while another youth Owais Ahmad alias Mandela of Maisuma was critically wounded.
He was shifted to SK Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura. Medical Superintendent, SKIMS, Dr Syed Amin Tabish, told Greater Kashmir that his condition was critical and he had bullet injury in his chest.
Hundreds of men, young and old participated in the funeral prayers of Abrar near Ahli-hadees Masjid at Gaw Kadal. His body was later laid to rest at Martyrs’ graveyard at Dalgate.

WIDE-SPREAD PROTESTS
Protests also broke out across various localities in downtown and uptown areas of Srinagar including Ram Bagh, Safa Kadal, Magarmal Bagh, Hari Singh High Street, Bemina, Qamarwari, Nowpora, Khanyar, Nowhatta, Fateh Kadal, Tatoo Ground, Sonawar and Lal Bazaar.
The protesters at Rambagh torched a VIP Ambassador vehicle, JK02AE-1655 and also damaged vehicle of a Commissioner Secretary passing through the area.
Late in the evening, hundreds of people, mostly women, came out on the streets in the uptown areas including Chanapora, Natipora, Batamaloo and several other localities. They staged demonstrations and blocked the roads to protest the killings. Protests were also held in mosques as people raised pro-freedom and anti-India slogans from loud- speakers.
To avenge the stone-pelting on them, CRPF troopers entered into the lanes and by lanes of many localities of Batamaloo, Gow Kadal, Chattabal, Khanyar hurled stones on the residential houses smashing the window panes. They also beat-up a number of pedestrians.

MLA’S HOUSE ATTACKED
Angry mourners attacked and attempted to set ablaze house of MLA Batamaloo, Irfan Shah. A guardroom outside his residence was damaged in the fire. Fire tenders were rushed to the area to douse the fire.
However, police and CRPF men fired scores of tear smoke canisters and also fired live ammunition to interrupt the procession.

CURFEW IMPOSED
The district administration here imposed curfew in the summer capital in view of the killings and widespread protests.
According to an order issued by District Magistrate, Srinagar, curfew has been imposed in district Srinagar, from 4 pm Tuesday till further orders.
“This decision has been taken as a precautionary measure and in view of the apprehension of breach of peace and tranquillity and damage to life and property. Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar has been directed to implement curfew in letter and spirit,” a statement issued here said.
Police and many government vehicles were patrolling the city announcing imposition of curfew in the district over loud speakers.

KHALID GUL ADDS FROM ISLAMABAD
Curfew in this South Kashmir township continued for the seventh consecutive day even as a police official was critically injured early in the morning.
Early in the morning when a police contingent was being deployed around Mattan Chowk area in the town, youth pelted stones from one of the lanes injuring two police personnel including a Sub-Inspector (Armed), Abdul Majeed.
“Majeed sustained critical injuries when a brick hit him on the face. He was referred to the hospital in a critical condition,” police sources said.
Later, more contingents of paramilitary and police personnel were rushed to the spot and strict curfew was re-imposed and even lanes and bylanes were blocked.
“The government is prolonging the curfew so that people may get exhausted but it will further strengthen our resolve to bring the culprits involved in the cold blooded murder of three teenagers to book,” said the residents of Anchidora.
Curfew was imposed in the town on June 29 following the alleged cold blooded murder of three teenagers in Anchidora and was relaxed for two hours from on Sunday but was enforced immediately after violence erupted again.
Meanwhile, shutdown and protests were witnessed in the adjoining areas of the town including Mattan, Bijbehara, Dooru and Achabal.
Strict restrictions were enforced in the neighboring districts of Kulgam following violent clashes between the protesters and the police while Qaimoh curfew was enforced again.
Reports of shutdown and clashes were also reported from Shopian, Tral and Pampore while in Pulwama and Kakapora curfew continued for the sixth straight day.

15 KILLED SINCE JUNE 11
With the four civilian killings on Tuesday, the death toll of killings in the recent weeks has reached 15.
There have been 11 killings in the month of June. The recent spate of killings at the hands of police and CRPF started on June 11, with the killing of teenager Tufail Ahmad Mattoo of Safakadal.

POLICE VERSION
 Meanwhile, a police spokesman said: “Although the situation remained normal in most districts of the Kashmir Valley. Srinagar city witnessed number of heavy stone pelting incidents from different localities in South, West and East Zone.
 In its effort to check these violent protests, police and CRPF had to resort to tear smoke shelling and use of force.”
 “The police guard room at the residence of MLA Batamaloo was burnt by the miscreants. Two Government vehicles were also torched.  Following these violent incidents section 144 CrPC, curfew has been imposed in Srinagar District.”
 “A woman Fancy daughter of Abdul Rehman Guru resident of Lachmanpora, Batamaloo was hit by a stray bullet when police and security forces had to fire in air while dealing with  huge number of stone pelters at Lachmanpora Batamaloo. The girl was watching from the window of her house,” he said.
 “The other two killed have been identified as Abrar Ahmad Khan son of Ghulam Ahmad resident of Maisuma and Fayaz Ahmad Wani son of Late Nazir Ahmad resident of Gungbugh,” spokesman added.
 “The forces had to resort to use of force in self defense as the unruly mobs did not relent to repeated requests for t retreat followed by tear smoke shelling at Gangbug and Maisuma,” he claimed.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 6 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 6 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 7 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST