Special Correspondent
An indefinite curfew has been imposed in Sopore town in Kashmir valley following the death of a youth in security force firing Monday.
The youth, Arshad Ahmad Shah of Peer Mohalla Naseem Bagh of the area was shot dead by the security forces after protests erupted in the area against killing of a militant in a gun-battle at Kranshivan Colony.
On Tuesday, reports say a complete shutdown was observed at Baramulla, Sopore, Bandipora, Hajan, Pattan, Palhalan, Ganderbal, Kangan, Budgam, Char-i-Sharief, Pulwama, Shopian, Anantnag, Kulgam, Khanabal, Dooru, Bijbehara and almost all the major townships of Kashmir valley against the Sopore incident. The shutdown was called by Hurriyat Conference (G), Hurriyat (M) and Hurriyat (JK) against the killing.
The Sopore town was sealed by authorities and all the entry points in the apple town of Sopore were barricaded with barbed wire and with mobile bunkers while the business centers, markets, offices, schools and colleges remained closed.
The authorities placed Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabir Ahmad Shah and other separatist leaders under house arrest to prevent them from visiting Sopore to condole the death.
Killers go unpunished
The youth in large numbers took to the streets on Tuesday morning and tried to hold protest demonstrations against the civilian killing. Angry demonstrators pelted stones on the police and paramilitary forces. The clashes were witnessed in Chankhan, Hathi Shah, Ashi Peer and Chota Bazaar areas of Sopore town. The forces burst smoke shells to disperse the protesters.
Reports of stone pelting incident also came from various areas of southern Kashmir. During the day long clashes at several places, more than 15 youth including few policemen were injured.
Reports said that the condition of the five youths, who received bullet injuries yesterday at Sopore were stable and they are being treated at various hospitals of the valley.
Meanwhile, exonerating army, the father of the Sopore slain youth said his son was gunned down by a local policeman who abruptly came down from his vehicle and resorted to indiscriminate firing.
“My 22-year old son was neither a militant nor a stone-pelter. He always kept himself aloof from militancy and other things. After graduation, he did not find a government job and purchased a Sumo (JK05C-1351) to earn bread for the family,” he said.
Demanding stern action against the ‘killer cop’, Shah said that he knows it very well that no action would be initiated against the culprit. “What happened in the past will be repeated now and may be in future as well. No killer was punished here ever. Probes are ordered to assuage the anger of the people. As the time elapses, government gives clean chit to the killers,” he said and added that he has no faith in any inquiry or probe.
In a similar mistrust, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, said that probes and inquiries ordered under present dispensation have become meaningless as no action has been taken into the incidents of innocent civilian killings.
Addressing a press conference at her Gupkar residence, Mehbooba while referring to Sopore firing incident said that it seems Kashmir is being turned into a ‘breeding ground for the violence’.
Source: Weekly Holiay
