Tral: Shopkeeper beaten during 16 hour CASO

A shopkeeper was critically injured after forces allegedly beat him up during a 16 hour search operation in Pastuna Village of Tral township in Pulwama district.

Bashir Ahmad Hajam son of Abdul Khaliq Hajam according to his relatives was returning home when forces thrashed him severely.

   

“He was tied and dragged on the road during late Monday night. We heard his loud cries and later found him unconscious. We thought he is dead as his body was swollen and had injury marks on his head,” his relatives said.

A witness said the incident had occurred in Pastuna village, where government forces had launched the cordon and search operation.  “The shopkeeper was beaten to pulp without any reason and had suffered multiple injuries,” he said. 

He was shifted to sub-district hospital Tral for treatment where from he was referred to SMHS Srinagar for advanced treatment. 

Hospital sources said that he has developed multiple fractures. Repeated attempts to reach out to Army and police officials for comments didn’t fructify. 

Earlier on Monday evening contingents of Jammu & Kashmir police, army’s 42 Rashtriya Rifles and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force 180 carried out searches to trace the militants

An official said that following “inputs” about presence of militants, the forces cordoned off the area and launched house-to-house searches.

According to source, the massive cordon lifted after 16 hours on Tuesday afternoon as no contact was established from either side. Adding that militants probably have managed to escape from the area and operation ended without any casualty.

A large numbers of forces personnel involved in the search operation descended in dense populated areas during late hours on Monday and sealed all entry and exit points.

Talking to Greater Kashmir superintendent of police Awantipora, Muhammad Zahid Malik said “I was busy with home secretary’s visit to the police district Awantipora but I will look into the matter.”

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