- Another youth succumbs taking death toll 49
- Magisterial probe ordered into Qazigund killings
- Govt fails to reopen schools in 4 districts
- Kargil shuts against killings in Kashmir
Ishfaq Ahmed of Kokernag, south Kashmir Friday morning succumbed to injures at SKIMS hospital, Srinagar.
With his death, the death toll so far has reached to 49 with over 3000 injured following the violent clashes between people and armed forces after the killing of Commander Burhan Wani.
Meanwhile, government imposed curfew on Thursday to counter the afternoon relaxation announced by the separatists in their strike calendar.
Police issued a statement to this effect, saying that there will be no relaxation in restrictions till further orders. The separatists had asked people to stock essentials during the relaxation period, beginning 2 pm. The authorities had hinted at relaxing the curfew to give some respite to the besieged people. Instead, strict curfew was imposed to prevent people from venturing out.
Reliable sources said higher authorities have decided to impose curfew whenever the separatist leaders give relaxation in shutdown calls “in order to make people disinterested in following the shutdown calls given by separatists”.
Meanwhile, the government has ordered a magisterial probe into the killing of three civilians, including two women, in army firing at Qazigund in Anantnag district and has asked the inquiry officer to submit his report with 15 days.
Army has already ordered an inquiry into the incident.
District Development Commissioner, Kulgam ordered the magisterial inquiry into the killing of three persons – Showkat Ahmad Itoo, Seda Begum and Nelofar – in a firing incident at Churat near Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu Highway on Monday.
According to a government notification, Additional District Magistrate Ghulam Hassan Sheikh has been appointed as the inquiry officer.
“He (Sheikh) will hold the inquiry into the circumstances which led to the incident and submit the report within 15 days,” the notification read.
Earlier, Army had expressed regret and ordered an inquiry into the incident. However, it had added that troops were forced to open fire “when a large mob turned violent, resorting to heavy stone pelting and attempted to snatch weapons from the army men”.
This is the first instance when the government ordered a probe into any incident which led to the killing of protesters anywhere in the valley. On July 19, a local court had also directed the police to register a case against its officer accused of acting “beyond the powers” in connection with the killing of a youth in Tengpora area of Srinagar on July 10.
Meanwhile, sporadic incidents of stone pelting were reported from Srinagar, Pulwama, Bijbehara, Ganderbal, Bandipora Kaloosa and Sopore.
Eyewitnesses said a motorcycle-borne youth survived miraculously in Nawab Bazar area of Old City after a bullet allegedly fired by a paramilitary man missed him and hit the wheel of his vehicle.
“The youth, whose identity is being ascertained, was moving towards the SMHS hospital, when a CRPF man fired at him,” they said.
They said the bullet burst the tyre of the motorbike and the youth sustained injuries after losing balance. He was shifted by locals to the hospital.
The unprovoked firing triggered protests in the area with youth taking to roads and staging demonstrations.
Witnesses said there was verbal duel between police and CRPF men over the unprovoked firing.
Protests also erupted at SMHS hospital after authorities asked the volunteers to close their activities of providing free food and medicines to the injured, being treated in this hospital.
The movement of local journalists baring those who had received curfew passes was also restricted.
Meanwhile, schools in the four districts of Baramulla, Budgam, Ganderbal and Bandipora, where government had last evening cancelled the summer vacations failed to open owing to curfew-like restrictions in these areas.
Kargil town also observed a complete shutdown to protest against the civilian killings in Kashmir.
At least 48 people, including a policeman, have been killed and over 3000 have been injured in the ongoing clashes between police, paramilitary forces and youth following the killing of top militant commander Burhan Wani in an encounter on July 8.
A police spokesman said the situation remained peaceful throughout the valley “although a couple of stray stone pelting incidents were reported from Nowpora, Sopore and Karan Nagar and Srinagar”.
