Srinagar, May 1: A day after a civilian was killed in stone pelting at Batamaloo here, police on Saturday said that it has identified two persons responsible for the killing.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, Javid Riyaz told Greater Kashmir that investigation was on and police has made headway in the case. “It was a group of seven to eight persons who were pelting stones there. And, of them, we have identified two persons. We are soon going to arrest them,” the SSP said.
The group, he said, were pelting stones near Batamaloo and one of the stones hit a mini-bus killing one of the passengers, Shafiq Ahmad Sheikh of Dilsoz Colony, Natipora. “It is an open and a transparent case where his death resulted due to injuries by the stone. We have talked to eyewitnesses and people there and got information about these hooligans,” he said, adding that the passenger bus was also in police custody.
“They won’t be spared. We will soon arrest them,” he said. Police has already registered a case under section 302 RPC against “unidentified persons” in police station Batamaloo.
Meanwhile, another person was injured in stone pelting in the same area. A police spokesman said that some youth pelted stones near government girls high school Batamaloo and one of the stones hit the school peon, Rafiq Ahmad of Danderkha, Batamaloo.
Rafiq sustained head injuries and was shifted to SMHS hospital and later to SK Institute of Medical Sciences for treatment. However, Station House Officer Batamaloo, Zahoor Ahmad told Greater Kashmir that no stone pelting was reported anywhere in the area.
“But the school employee has claimed that he was hit by a stone in the school premises. There is no conformation about it,” he said.

PROTESTS IN NATIPORA
Protests continued for the second day running in Natipora locality here against the killing of Shafiq Ahmad Sheikh during stone pelting.
Locals continued protests today as they blocked the Natipora-Nowgam road and pelted stones on CRPF personnel who tried to disperse them resulting in clashes which continued intermittently till late in the evening. Vehicular transport remained disrupted while shops also remained closed.
The state government today paid an ex-gratia relief of Rs one lakh to the next of kin of Shafiq. Deputy Commissioner Srinagar M A Kakroo visited the residence of Shafiq Ahmad Sheikh and handed over the relief to the bereaved family.
Meanwhile, locals including shopkeepers staged protests at Habba Kadal here against the alleged man-handling of some shopkeepers by CRPF yesterday. They demanded action against the erring CRPF personnel.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 2 May 2010 00:00:00 IST