Srinagar, May 14: Police resorted to aerial firing and reportedly thrashed cricket-playing youth on Kashmir University campus here Monday afternoon, creating panic and triggering protests.
Eyewitnesses told Greater Kashmir that police fired in air and beat cricketers and umpires in the ground after the cricket ball landed in the lawns of Vice-Chancellor’s secretariat during a match of Kashmir Premier League (KPL). Ironically, the tournament is being organized by Army in collaboration with State Government with an aim to involve youth in ‘constructive activities.’
“The ball landed in the VC office’s front lawn unintentionally. Policemen abused us furiously as if we had hurled a grenade,” said a cricketer Tanveer Ahmad of Soura.
“It just started from a small thing. When we went to fetch the ball, policemen abused us and we just let it go. But they continued to abuse and we just retorted back. They went to an extreme: coming into the ground, beating players and umpires; and then firing,” witnesses said.
Danish, a BCCI-recognized cricket umpire, said policemen beat them and resorted to firing over a small thing.
He said after the small argument, an organizing member was sent inside the secretariat to apologize for the trespass. “Even if we did wrong but why did they (cops) beat the organizing member inside the secretariat who had gone to apologize. They are blood thirsty,” said another cricketer, Arif Dar.
“The team manager Aslam Bhat was beaten severely,” Arif said.
Cricketers shouted slogans against police and sought action against the cops who ‘fired horizontally on the youth.’
“They are murderers and enemies of peace,” shouted a cricketer.
Later youth also raised pro-freedom slogans.
“When Army is organizing tournaments for us, police is trying to kill us. They (policemen) should feel ashamed,” they said.
The youth held bullet cartridges in their hands and shouted: “Down with JK Police.”
“They did not listen to us. Even I was beaten before we could say anything. They just went berserk and fired horizontally,” Danish said showing bruises on his left arm.
Danish said policemen also intimidated them not to play the Army-organized tournament. “With every punch and kick they repeated: play, play the game of Army you rascals…,” he said.
When Superintendent of Police, Hazratbal, Abdul Qayoom reached the place, protestors intensified sloganeering. A cricketer told SP that police were playing with the sentiments of youth. “Your policemen opened fire over a small thing,” the SP was told.
In a statement, Defence spokesman Col. J.S. Brar said the Kashmir Premier League is being organised by the Army in concert with the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs. “There was some misunderstanding in the match at Kashmir University and the issue has been resolved amicably,” he said.
An official communiqué said the involved cop has been suspended.
“Taking note of an incident at University with regard to a scuffle, constable Mehraj Din has been put under suspension. An FIR has been lodged in this regard in police station Nigeen,” the statement said.
A Kashmir University communiqué said the matter was resolved following the constitution of an inquiry committee and immediate suspension of the police official suspected to be involved in the act. “During this whole episode no student of the University of Kashmir participated in the scuffle neither was any student injured in the act. However, few KUG personnel suffered injuries in the scuffle,” the statement said.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the firing incident.
In a statement, PDP chief spokesperson Naeem Akhtar said the shooting incident was symptomatic of the ‘trigger-happy nature of the government forces which have no respect for human rights or value for human life.’
“The atmosphere of insecurity created by the present dispensation had percolated down even to the educational institutions and it was deeply disturbing that the PSOs of the Vice-Chancellor should have opened fire in response to a non event,” he said in a statement.
Akhtar said use of unwarranted force gives an idea of how the government was misusing its instruments to create an artificial calm which can get shattered on the flimsiest pretext. “Government and the university authorities must come clean on this shameful incident,” the statement said.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 14 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 14 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 IST