STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: Clashes broke out on Tuesday between protestors and security forces in Nowgam area of the city over killing of two youths in army firing in Budgam district of Kashmir even as authorities imposed restrictions on the movement of the people as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.
Groups of youth started pelting stones at police personnel posted on law and order duty in Nowgam area minutes after the two deceased youth — both local residents — were laid to rest, police said.
Cops used tear smoke shells to chase away the protestors but intermittent clashes were going on in the area, the police said.
So far there were no reports of any one getting hurt in the clashes.
Two youth were killed and two others injured, who were travelling in a car, when they were fired upon by army personnel in Chattergam area of Budgam district at 5 PM yesterday.
The army had claimed that the youths did not pay heed to signals to stop at three barriers set up by security forces.
“Three motor vehicle check points were established along the route to nab the militants. The car in which these youth were travelling did not stop at two check points when they were flagged down. They even broke through the third barrier at Chattergam leading to the security forces opening firing on them,” Army said in a statement. The Army has ordered a court of inquiry into the incident to ascertain the facts even as it regretted the loss of lives in the incident.
Police also has lodged an FIR into the incident and started investigations.
Terming it the most atrocious way of killing, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said even if the young boys had not responded to the call for stopping, “the Army men could have fired upon the tyres of the vehicle the boys were travelling in, rather than pumping dozens of bullets into these youngsters”.
“We are tired of condemning such incidents and demanding probes which have so far led nowhere. It is time to restore full civil liberties in Jammu and Kashmir so that the residents of this state also enjoy the constitutional guarantees of dignity and right to life like other citizens of the country,” she said. The PDP president said the state has travelled long since 1990 when this law was enforced to tackle the militancy in view of thousands of youth having taken to arms.
“Now that the people of the state have repeatedly expressed their faith in democratic methods for safeguarding their rights, such draconian laws are proving counterproductive,” she said.
Meanwhile, state secretary of CPI (M) Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami also condemned the Chattergam firing incident and demanded time-bound judicial inquiry to bring the facts at fore.
Reiterating his demand for maximum restraint, the CPI(M) leader said that such incidents are a brazen violation of democratic norms which can only prove counterproductive.
“Incidents like Chattergam, Budgam create an atmosphere of insecurity and fear among the people and those responsible for the reprehensible act must be identified and brought to book,” he said. Meanwhile, there will be restrictions on Wednesday in Srinagar city.
“The authorities had decided to clamp restrictions in Srinagar city as separatist groups have called for Kashmir Bandh on Wednesday over civilian killings by army on Monday,” confirmed by top police officials on Tuesday.
The restrictions will be imposed in five police stations of Down Town area Maharaj Gunj, Khanyar, Nowhatta, Safa Kadal and Maisuma. The restrictions will also remain imposed in Nowgam area of Budgam District.
The two civilians got killed and two others injured on in an army firing near Chatergam area of Budgam District late Monday evening.
Meanwhile, army has started court of inquiry in this incident according to army officials.