Valley on the boil after Baramulla youth killing, curfew imposed
7 March 2013 7:04 AM IST
Clashes between stone-pelting mobs and the security forces continued on Wednesday at many places in Kashmir leaving 15 people injured, including seven security force personnel, even as curfew continued in many Srinagar areas and other parts of the Valley.
In the wake of a youth’s death on Tuesday in the north Kashmir town of Baramulla after security forces opened fire, authorities imposed curfew in many areas across the valley on Wednesday. ‘Curfew has been imposed in Rainawari, Nowhatta, S R Gunj, Safa Kadal, Maisuma, Kralkhud and Zadibal police stations areas of Srinagar city on Wednesday. Curfew has also been imposed in Baramulla, Sopore, Pulwama and Kulgam towns’, a senior police officer said here.
Reports from other major towns of the Valley indicate police and central reserve police force (CRPF) have been deployed in strength to maintain law and order.
Tahir Lateef Sofi, 24, was killed in a firing incident at Chati Padshahi Bridge in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town, allegedly by the Army, during protests on Tuesday.
Residents of the area said a group of locals started the protest gathering in Kakar Hammam area of the town after homes were ransacked and parked vehicles smashed, allegedly by security forces, and there was firing in the air from security personnel to quell the protest.
Thousands of people later gathered in the town and attacked the office of the district magistrate demanding action against those involved in the killing of the youth.
The district magistrate has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the firing incident. Baramulla police have also registered an FIR against those security personnel responsible for the firing.
State chief minister Omar Abdullah has again reiterated his demand for the partial revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) that gives blanket immunity to the Army and the paramilitary forces deployed to fight militancy in areas declared ‘disturbed’ under the act.
The chief minister broke down in the state legislative assembly on Tuesday when the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) staged a walkout over the Baramulla youth’s killing. Omar Abdhullah promised that those responsible for the killing would be brought to justice.
The chief minister later dispelled rumours that he had decided to resign over the issue. Omar Abdullah said on his micro blogging Twitter site if stepping down as chief minister could bring a man back to life, he would resign in a flash.
The Army, meanwhile, has denied that its men were involved in the killing of the Baramulla youth.
An Army spokesman said: ‘An aggressive mob of over 250 people attacked a foot patrol of the Army in the town on Tuesday. Despite repeated warnings and caution, the mob surrounded the patrol and people from within the crowd started attacking Army personnel.’
‘The patrol was soon outnumbered, leaving some of them injured. A person out of the mob assaulted the Army personnel with an iron rod creating a life threatening situation. To extricate themselves, the patrol fired, aiming in the air, which could not have resulted in any injury as the place of the incident.
In the wake of a youth’s death on Tuesday in the north Kashmir town of Baramulla after security forces opened fire, authorities imposed curfew in many areas across the valley on Wednesday. ‘Curfew has been imposed in Rainawari, Nowhatta, S R Gunj, Safa Kadal, Maisuma, Kralkhud and Zadibal police stations areas of Srinagar city on Wednesday. Curfew has also been imposed in Baramulla, Sopore, Pulwama and Kulgam towns’, a senior police officer said here.
Reports from other major towns of the Valley indicate police and central reserve police force (CRPF) have been deployed in strength to maintain law and order.
Tahir Lateef Sofi, 24, was killed in a firing incident at Chati Padshahi Bridge in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town, allegedly by the Army, during protests on Tuesday.
Residents of the area said a group of locals started the protest gathering in Kakar Hammam area of the town after homes were ransacked and parked vehicles smashed, allegedly by security forces, and there was firing in the air from security personnel to quell the protest.
Thousands of people later gathered in the town and attacked the office of the district magistrate demanding action against those involved in the killing of the youth.
The district magistrate has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the firing incident. Baramulla police have also registered an FIR against those security personnel responsible for the firing.
State chief minister Omar Abdullah has again reiterated his demand for the partial revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) that gives blanket immunity to the Army and the paramilitary forces deployed to fight militancy in areas declared ‘disturbed’ under the act.
The chief minister broke down in the state legislative assembly on Tuesday when the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) staged a walkout over the Baramulla youth’s killing. Omar Abdhullah promised that those responsible for the killing would be brought to justice.
The chief minister later dispelled rumours that he had decided to resign over the issue. Omar Abdullah said on his micro blogging Twitter site if stepping down as chief minister could bring a man back to life, he would resign in a flash.
The Army, meanwhile, has denied that its men were involved in the killing of the Baramulla youth.
An Army spokesman said: ‘An aggressive mob of over 250 people attacked a foot patrol of the Army in the town on Tuesday. Despite repeated warnings and caution, the mob surrounded the patrol and people from within the crowd started attacking Army personnel.’
‘The patrol was soon outnumbered, leaving some of them injured. A person out of the mob assaulted the Army personnel with an iron rod creating a life threatening situation. To extricate themselves, the patrol fired, aiming in the air, which could not have resulted in any injury as the place of the incident.
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