Islamabad, June 29: Three more teenagers were killed and four others critically injured when police personnel barged into houses and fired upon them from a close range in Islamabad town of south Kashmir on Tuesday.
Ishtiyaq Ahmed S/O Ahmadullah Khanday, 15, a class 10 student of S.K. Colony, Imtiyaz Ahmed Itoo, 17, son of Abdul Ahad Itoo of Watergam, Dialgam, working in a bakery shop, Shujat-ul-Islam, 17, son of Late Muhammad Ashraf Baba, a class 12 student of Anchidora were among the killed. While the four critically injured persons were identified as Zahid Ahmad Itoo s/o Muhammad Syed of Qazibagh, Fayaz Ahmad Rather S/O Ali Muhammad Rather of Qazibagh, Suhail Ahmad Bhat s/o Javaid Ahmad Bhat of Anchidora and Nazeer Ahmad Dar s/o Ghulam Nabi Dar of Anzwala.
Eyewitnesses said a police party and a contingent of CRPF led by senior police officials of Islamabad barged into the houses at SK Colony area of the town and after dragging the youth out fired indiscriminately on them from a close range.
“The youth after being dragged out were made to assemble in the lawn of a residential houses and a volley of bullets were pumped into their bodies by the police officials,” eyewitnesses told Greater Kashmir.
“The doctors at the district hospital said that two of the youth were declared brought dead while Shujatul Islam succumbed to injuries on way to SMHS hospital Srinagar.
“The injured and killed youth had injuries in head, chest, neck and shoulder,” said a doctor from district hospital Islamabad. The firing incident took place around 4:15pm when police were chasing protestors at Laizbal, Naibasti and Khanabal on the Khanabal-Pahalgam (KP) Road. The protesters were raising pro-freedom slogans after a 13-year old Arshid Ahmad of Chatergul, working in a tea stall, was critically injured in a separate CRPF firing at Mattan Chowk early in the morning.
The locals alleged that Arshid was sitting near his shop when the huge contingent of CRPF men reached the place and fired three bullets upon him without any provocation. This incident infuriated the locals and fearing violent protests an undeclared curfew was imposed in the old town areas including Malakhnag, Reeshi Bazar, Cheeni Chowk. But the people from civil lines around KP Road took to streets and protested the CRPF action. Police and CRPF men resorted to heavy aerial firing throughout the day and also fired hundreds of tear smoke canisters injuring more than 30 civilians.
As soon as the word about the death of the three youth spread in the town thousands of people including women and children came out of their houses and protested against the killings. When the bodies of the deceased were being carried for funeral, the CRPF men again resorted to intense tear shelling and aerial firing on the funeral procession injuring many.
Later thousands offered Nimazi Jinazah of the teenagers in the Hanfia Eidgah.
The angry youth later ransacked a Police Post at General Bus Stand and later set it ablaze. They also torched CRPF vehicles at Laizbal and Khanabal.
Announcements were made in the evening from the loudspeakers of the masjids asking people to come out and protests. Consequently, people came out in thousands and held protests till late in the evening.
Speaking to Greater Kashmir, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, Jaipal Singh said, “We don’t know who has killed these youth. They might have been hit by someone from a kilometre’s distance. We are busy in maintaining law and order situation, so right now no enquiry has been ordered.”
SSP Islamabad, Dr. Showkat Ahmad Malik, could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
Meanwhile, violent clashes were also witnessed in different parts of the district including Dialgam, Bijbehara, Dooru, Achabal, Mattan and Sangam. CRPF vehicles were also damaged in Mattan and Sangam.
Besides, dozens of protesters were also injured in the neighbouring districts of Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian.

POLICE VERSION
“Though a large number of incidents of stone pelting were reported from different places of Valley including Varmul, Srinagar and Islamabad. Police and CRPF exercised maximum restraint. However, three persons were killed at Islamabad where the miscreants resorted to arson damaging public and private property and an ambulance,” a police spokesman said in a statement.
“Stone pelting was reported from K P Chowk, Dangerpora, Lazibal, Mattan Chowk and several other places of Islamabad district. Miscreants snatched the service weapons of the police guards at Janglat Mandi,” he added.
(With PTI inputs)

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