We are looking into circumstances that led to death of youth: IGP Kashmir
Mirwaiz condemns Sopore firing incident
Shah condemns incident, urges right organizations to take cognizance
Srinagar: A youth was killed and four others were injured on Monday when security forces allegedly opened fire to disperse a protest rally following an encounter in Sopore town of Baramulla district.
A senior police officer told KNS that group of youth had started pelting stones at security forces, who returning from Krankishivan Colony of Sopore after accomplishing an counter insurgency operation in which a top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant outfit was killed.
Security forces had later allegedly opened fire to disperse the protesting youth, resulting in injuries to five of them, the sources said.
They said one of the injured, Arshad Ahmad Shah son of Abdul Aziz Shah resident of Naseem Bagh succumbed to injuries while being taken to a hospital. Rest of the four who sustained injuries in the firing have been identified as Naseer Ahmad beigh son of Ghulam Mohiuddin a resident of Jamia Kadeem, Shahid Ahmad son of Kasim Ahangar a resident of Naseem Bagh, Ilyas Shalla son of Attaullah Shalla resident of Shalpora and Abid Gojri resident of Sopore. The situation in the area is tense as more people have taken to streets in protest against the killing.
According to a police statement issued to KNS, a spokesman said that after the completion of an operation in Baba Raza Krankshvan Sopore in which one Pakistani militant got killed; Operation parties while withdrawing from the area were pelted with stones by some miscreants. “The mob swelled and attempted to set at fire one security armoured vehicle. Security forces used non-lethal weapons but the situation could not be controlled. Resultantly few shots were fired in which 4 people got injured.
One of the injured Arshad Ahmad Shah son of Abdul Aziz Shah resident of Seer Jagir Sopore succumbed to his injuries unfortunately. Other injured people have been hospitalized and are stated to be out of danger. The incident is being enquired into and a Case has been registered in this regard, the police statement reads.
DIG North Kashmir Range Ghulam Hassan Bhat, said that he was monitoring the situation along with the deputy commissioner Baramulla. “This is an unfortunate incident but we are in touch with the people and want their cooperation to know the truth,” the DIG North Kashmir told KNS on phone.
When contacted IGP Kashmir A G Mir said: “This was a regrettable death. The incident took place despite security forces exercising maximum restraint. All other injured are stable. Nevertheless we are looking into circumstances which led to the death of the youth.”
Meanwhile, Syed Ali Geelani chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) has strongly condemned the firing incident terming the same as ‘state terrorism’. Geelani while talking to KNS on phone extended one day complete strike call for Kashmir valley. He also expressed deep shock and grief over the killing of Irshad Shah.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq chairman Hurriyat Conference (M) also condemned the Sopore firing incident saying that it seems that the security forces have been emboldened by the recent statements made by political leadership and the top army commanders in the state. “It is unfortunate that rather than showing restrain, the police, army and para military forces have gone for a killing spree of people. World human rights organization must take cognizance of these incidents and use their good offices to stop the rights abuse in Kashmir,” Mirwaiz told KNS on phone.
Shabir Ahmad Shah, Hurriyat Conference Jammu and Kashmir (HCJK) senior leader also condemned the Sopore firing incident. Shah while talking to KNS said that the human rights abuses have crossed the limits in Kashmir and the security forces have been ‘let loose to torment, kill, loot and do any sort of rights abuse in Kashmir’. Shah urged international human rights observes to take serious cognizance of the human rights violations taking place in Kashmir.