14-year-old critically injured in pellet gun firing in Srinagar as Police foil separatists’ call for march to UNMOGIP; over 50 clashes in Valley
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR: One constable got killed and another, besides a Kashmiri Pandit civilian, sustained injuries when suspected militants clashed with the guards protecting some families of the minority community in Shopian district of South Kashmir on Friday.
Director General of Police K. Rajendra Kumar told STATE TIMES that some militants attacked the guard at Jamnagri (Reshinagri) on periphery of Shopian town at 8.45 pm. The guards resisted the militants’ attempt to loot their weapons. The militants opened fire, injuring two constables and one member of the protected Pandit families. While as the critically injured constable Nazir Ahmad of Amnoo Shopian succumbed to injuries, constable Zahoor Ahmad and Pandit Puran Krishen Kaul were rushed to Srinagar and admitted to Army’s 92 Base Hospital for treatment.
Official sources added that constable Zahoor had a gunshot injury in his leg while as Puran Krishen had been hit in his thigh. Both were reportedly stable and responding to treatment.
Sources said that a group of three militants, two armed with AK-47 rifles and one wielding a pistol, appeared at Jamnagri where three guards of District Police, Shopian are posted for protection of the three resident Pandit families. It appeared that the militants’ action was limited to loot the weapons and they had no plan of attacking the Pandits. Since the guards resisted, the militants opened fire killing a guard and leaving another injured. Puran Krishan, who was at the same spot, was also injured.
Sources said that the third guard opened fire from his service weapon and saved the life of the Pandit families. The militants escaped. It was not immediately clear if any of them had got injured during exchange of fire.
Militants have lately looted and snatched away weapons from the Police guards at several places, including some minority guards, though none of the guards or any member of the protected families has been harmed. According to reports, some of the Police guards have handed over their weapons to the militants without attempting any resistance. Over a hundred weapons, including SLRs and AK-47s, have been looted from PSOs of protected persons, Police Stations and minority guards in South Kashmir in the last three months of the unceasing turbulence.
Meanwhile, Police and paramilitary forces on Friday foiled the separatists’ attempt to organise a mass march from different areas of Kashmir valley to UNMOGIP headquarters at Sonwar with imposition of restrictions and curfew in downtown Srinagar. Friday congregational prayers were not permitted in Jamia Masjid in Srinagar besides some other mosques.
Informed sources told STATE TIMES that violent clashes took place between unruly crowds and Police/CRPF at more than 60 places all over the Valley. More than 50 demonstrators were reportedly injured in these clashes that ensued after conclusion of the congregational prayers at the community mosques. Sources said that 56 persons were arrested for organising clashes and indulging in stone pelting on Police and security forces on Friday.
Sources said that a 14-year-old boy, namely Junaid, was critically injured when Police and CRPF used pump action guns to disperse a stone pelting crowd in Eidgah area of downtown Srinagar. He was admitted to SKIMS where doctors said that chances of his recovery were bleak.
