Army gunned down two students in North Kashmir Police registers murder case, Massive protests leaves scores injured Bandipora, June 30, CNS: Indian Army gunned down two innocent students on Sunday in Markundal area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district after which massive protests erupted in which scores of people including a top police officer was injured. Another civilian was hit by a bullet who was shifted to Sher-i-Kashmir Medical Institute of Sours Srinagar. Police after imposing undeclared curfew in Markundal and its adjacent areas registered a murder case against the Army personnel involved in the killing of these two youth. Meanwhile, Army said that it would probe the matter and bring culprits to justice. Agitated protestors blocked the road and resorted to heavy stone pelting after which the police did not allow any Yatra buses to ply on the road. Highly placed sources told CNS that at around 12:30 of Saturday night a Tata Mobile appeared in the Markundal area. “Thieves are on prowl in the area from past several weeks and as soon as we came to know about the presence of the Tata Mobile vehicle in the area, people became conscience as we thought the vehicle might be belonging to burglars,” said a resident of Markundal. He said that as the villagers came on roads people in Tata Mobile fled away. Ghulam Nabi Ganaie told CNS that we all were sleeping and suddenly after listening the noises from outside at around 2 in the night again, my wife told his son Irfan to have a look at the cow-shed to see whether our cattle are safe or not. “We didn’t know that It would prove a nightmare for us. As soon as my 18 years old son opened the door, the Army men present outside our house fired upon him indiscriminately and he died on spot. The gun shots shook us and as we came outside, we saw the Irfan lying down in a pool of blood. The Army personnel hurled abuses on us and threatened us of dire consequences in case we raise hue and cry,” Ghulam Nabi the father of slain youth Irfan told CNS. He said nobody dared to come out from their houses even after hearing the gunshots as the armed men were continuously hurling abuses and raising clamour. “Army men were yelling in air and warning that whosoever would come out from his house would be shot at. The dead body of my son was lying outside my door and we were all helpless. We could not do anything. You can’t imagine how we spent those moments,” Ghulam Nabi said. Reports said that soon after the morning prayers, people came on roads and rushed towards Markundal. They took the dead body and placed it on the road. The protestors amid anti-India and anti-Army slogans pelted stones on the army vehicles. Protestors shouted at Army personnel that they are the real killers and attacked one of their vehicles. “During this protest the Army personnel did not open fire at the crowd but they targeted a youth who was watching all this at a distance. The bullet hit his abdominal and he felt down. The gun shots forced protesters to take cover and what happened afterwards, no body knows that,” a resident of Markundal told CNS. The youth who was hit by bullet was from Kondabal, Mansbal who had arrived at Markundal previous night to see his friend and they all had decided to visit Gulmarg on Sunday. “The injured, 18 years old youth identified as Tariq Ahmed Leharwal son of Ghulam Qadir Leharwal was immediately rushed to nearby hospital where from he was shifted to SKIMS by police, however he succumbed to his injuries in midway,” a police official told CNS adding that the body was handed over to the family after his postmortem. Agitated people came on roads as the body of Tariq reached at Kondabal and they resorted to heavy stone pelting. Eyewitnesses told CNS that agitated youth snatched helmet from a police constable and beat the Superintended of Police Bandipora Bashir Ahmed ruthlessly. “SP Bashir Ahmed received four stitches in his head, however he is stable,” a police official said adding that another constable Mehraj-u-Din was also injured during the clashes. The protestors attacked the vehicles that were plying on the road as a result police stopped all the vehicles carrying Amarnath Yatris and directed them to choose an alternative route. Police imposed undeclared curfew in Markundal and its adjacent areas and even did not allow media persons to proceed towards the place of crime. Reports said that at Markundal, another citizen Mohammad Maqbool Sofi was injured in Army firing. “The bullet hit in the arm of Sofi and he was shifted to Srinagar,” eyewitness said. Reports said that as the news of the killing of two youth spread in North Kashmir, hundreds of people in Hajin, Naid khai, Sumbal, Goshabugh, Hawkbara, Ashm, Katpora, Inderkot, Rath Asham and Safapora came on roads and raised pro-freedom slogans. However police swung into action and sealed all those areas. “No one was allowed to come out from his house. Roads wore deserted look as the police imposed undeclared curfew,” an eyewitness told CNS. Despite severe restrictions, agitated people came on roads at Barsoo, Gretabal, Kondabal, Lar and Ganderbal and damaged scores of vehicles. Both Ganderbal and Bandipora observed a shutdown against these killings. Meanwhile, Police registered a murder case against the Army personnel vide FIR number 115/2013 under section 302 of RPC. “Though we have not made any arrests in this regard so far, however, we have sent a questionnaire to Army and asked them to respond and reply within one day. The police was unable to visit the homes of slain youth due to tense situation. We would visit their house and only after recording their statements the police would be able to make any arrests,” Deputy Inspector General North Kashmir J.P.Singh told CNS. District Development Commissioner Bandipora, Mohammad Yousf Zargar told CNS that it is beyond doubt that Army personnel is responsible for the killing and so there is no need to order magisterial probe. “I don’t think there is any need to order magisterial probe. It is quite evident that Army personnel killed both these youth. Probe is required when there is some doubt. Law will take its own course and guilty will be punished,” he said adding that administration would announce ex-gratia relief in favour of the victims of the families. Meanwhile, Major General RR Nimbhorkar, general officer commanding (GOC) Victor Force in a hurriedly called press conference at Jowboora Headquarters in Awantipora mourned the deaths and said that Army would probe the matter. “We had received information that militants had gunned down a youth at Markundal. As our Ambulance reached there, people doubted on our integrity and attacked us. We had no option but to retaliate in which one youth was killed,” he said adding that Army would investigate the matter and bring culprits to justice. (CNS)
Posted on: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 14:20:56 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015