Sopur/Varmul, June 28: Two persons, including a nine-year old boy, were killed and 60 civilians wounded in north Kashmir’s Varmul district Monday when paramilitary CRPF troopers and police fired upon processionists to prevent them from marching towards Sopur town on the call of pro-freedom groups.
Eyewitnesses told Greater Kashmir that paramilitary CRPF troopers and Special Operations Group of JK Police resorted to indiscriminate firing upon a procession at Kapra Cinema outside the headquarters of 92 battalion CRPF, near Sopur.
Thousands of people from Selu, Bomai, Sagipora, Zaloora, Wadoora and other adjoining villages were proceeding towards Sopur town at 12 noon.
“The march was peaceful and without firing warning shots the troopers and SOG men fired directly upon marchers at Kapra Cinema injuring five persons critically,” they said, adding one of the injured, Tajamul Bashir Bhat, succumbed to injuries at Sopur sub-district hospital.
Tajamul Bashir Bhat son of Bashir Ahmed Bhat of Wadoora Sopur was Ist Year student of Degree College Sopur. The injured were rushed to SMHS Srinagar for specialized treatment. A 9-year old boy was shot dead by CRPF and police in Delina this afternoon during clashes.
The deceased boy was identified as Tauqeer Ahmed Rather son of Ghulam Hassan Rather of Rather Mohalla Delina.
Witnesses said that hundreds of youth from Varmul town marched on foot towards Sopur this morning.
“The police and CRPF men deployed in strength at Delina fired teargas canisters and baton-charged the protesters forcing them to retreat. The police action on peaceful procession prompted more protests in the area,” they said.
“During the clashes between police and protesters, Tauqeer was hit by a bullet in chest and succumbed to injuries on way to district hospital Varmul,” they said, adding three more persons were wounded in clashes.
After the news about death of the boy spread, hundreds of youth took to streets in Varmul town raising pro-freedom slogans.
Fierce clashes broke out between police and protesters in the town in which several people were wounded.
The situation was tense in Varmul town late evening, with severe clashes going on between police and protesters at Khanpora, Tehsil Road and SRTC yard.
The locals alleged that maternal uncle of deceased boy Tauqeer, Altaf Ahmad, was arrested by police at Kanispora.
“He was on way from Varmul to participate in the funeral of his nephew. They are not allowing us even to mourn the death of our beloved,” the family said.
Earlier in the morning, defying curfew, thousands of people carrying the body of Bilal Ahmad Wani, who was killed by CRPF troopers on Sunday night tried to proceed towards main chowk Sopur.
“The CRPF troopers fired rubber bullets and teargas canisters to disperse the protesters injuring three mourners,” they said.
Later thousands of people participated in the funeral procession of Wani and he was laid to rest at Martyrs Graveyard Chinkipora amid pro-freedom slogans.
Another youth was wounded at Hatishah Sopur this afternoon when police fired upon protesters protesting against the killings of youth this afternoon.
The youth, Rafiq Ahmed Dar, was shot in the leg by troopers and has been refereed to Srinagar for specialized treatment.
Despite strict curfew in place, scores of youth staged massive demonstrations at several places prompting police to rush more reinforcements to scuttle the protests.
The protests in the town also forced police to take hasty retreat at several places. Hurriyat (G) leaders also led a massive protest demonstration in Sopur town.
The people also staged massive demonstrations at Pattan on Varmul–Srinagar highway, demanding punishment against the erring CRPF troopers.
The police fired teargas canisters and baton-charged the protesters forcing them to disperse, but protesters offered stiff resistance and pelted stones in retaliation leading to severe clashes in which several protesters were wounded.
Protests also erupted in Hygam, Sangrama, Rafiabad and Handwara against the killings of youth by troopers.

SOPUR SEALED:
All the roads leading to Sopur were sealed and curfew was continued today to prevent people from reaching the town.
The police had erected barricades and concertina wires at several places to restrict the people from entering the town. The entry and exit points of town were sealed and police was also deployed on Sopur-Sangama Road and Varmul-Srinagar highway to prevent the Sopur march. Large contingent of police and troopers were deployed in Sopur town to scuttle the march.

PROTESTS IN BANDIPORA:
The people also staged protests against the killings of youth by troopers in Bandipora.
The protestors blocked Srinagar-Ladakh Highway at Sumbal and halted vehicular movement. They however allowed free movement of vehicles carrying pilgrims on way to Amaranth Nath cave.
Hundreds of people from Ashtangoo and Kehnusa tried to enter Sopur town to express solidarity with the people there, but were stopped by police.
The relatives of Bilal Ahmed who was killed in CRPF firing in Sopur yesterday said that police did not allow them to travel by road from Bandipora.
“We used boats to reach Sopur to express condolence with our relatives,” said Ghulam Ahmed Dar of Aloosa.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST