Srinagar, June 11: A class 12th student was allegedly shot dead at Rajouri Kadal in downtown Srinagar this evening with eyewitnesses accusing police of killing the teenager in cold blood. Police described the killing as “a mysterious death.”
Eyewitness said Tufail Ahmad Mattoo son of Muhammad Ashraf of Saida Kadal died when police opened fire on youth in Gani Memorial Stadium. Incidentally another teenager Wamiq Farooq of Rainwari was allegedly killed by police near the same stadium in January this year.
Eyewitnesses said Tufail, carrying a school bag, along with his colleagues was approaching from Hawal side when police chased them and another group of youth during mild clashes in the area.
“Tufail along with other boys ran into the stadium. Police followed them and in the commotion he was fired upon by policeman,” said an eyewitness who owns a shop in the area.
Tufail was reportedly rushed to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital where officials declared him brought dead. “There was wound in his skull and brain material had protruded out,” said a hospital official. The body was handed over to the Police Control Room here.
“A team of experts will be called from forensic laboratory and Government Medical College here to confirm the cause of death,” sources told Greater Kashmir.
Tufail was the lone child of his parents and according to his maternal uncle, Ghulam Qadir, he had left for tuitions at Hawal here after Friday prayers. Qadir described Tufail a shy and innocent boy.
“He will never harm even an insect. Why did he meet such a fate?” he asked.
His father, an employee with a Shawl export company here, is living with his three brothers and their families at Saida Kadal.
Police said it has not fired a single bullet or tear smoke shell in the area.  In a handout issued to the media this evening, a police spokesman said “as per medical examination of the wound of the victim the case appears to be of a deliberate murder.”
“Police is on look out of two persons who dropped the deceased at the SMHS hospital in a Maruti car and disappeared from the scene,” the spokesman said. He sought cooperation of people “to trace Maruti and its inmates so that this mysterious death of the young man is solved and culprits brought to justice.”
On January 31, 2010, Wamiq Farooq, 13, died after being hit by a tear gas shell fired by police in Rajouri Kadal. His killing evoked strong reaction in the valley.
The incident, which follows barely two days after Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s visit to Kashmir and assurance of protection of human rights, is likely to flare up tension in Srinagar and elsewhere in the Valley. Tufail’s death is the fourth incident of its kind where police and CRPF troopers have been accused of killing teenagers of the city.
On February 5, 2010 when valley was observing shutdown against killing of Wamiq, another teenager Zahid Farooq, 14, was killed when he was fired upon by BSF personnel at Nishat. The police have initiated action against BSF in the case. The BSF commandant and the BSF jawan have been arrested while no action has been initiated in Wamiq Farooq’s case. Before Wamiq’s killing, CRPF men allegedly killed another teenager, Inayat Khan, of Dalgate.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 11 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST