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| PROTESTS OVER KILLING OF A CIVILIAN ROCK SRINAGAR | | | Srinagar, July 01, 06: Enraged over the killing of a youth late Friday evening at Padshahi Bagh locality of Khanyar area, people in thousands on Saturday morning hurled bricks and stones on policemen in a violent demonstration.
Protesters damaged police bunkers, government hoardings and Manmohan-Musharraf signboards and windowpanes of some public vehicles in the ding-dong battles. At least 14 persons including eight policemen and 6 protesters were wounded in the process. Police later resorted to cane-charge and fired teargas shells to disperse protesters.
Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) men belonging to 46 Bn housing in hotel Ikhwan at Khanyar shot dead a music lover Inayatullah Bhat, 31, late Friday at 2150 hours outside his home and bakery shop named Bake Way Bakers.
Bhat, according to one of his close friends Fayaz Ahmad, had got his leg damaged in an accident three years back when he fell from a three-storey building, and since then was passionately involved with music. "Doctor had recommended him a walk after dinner," Fayaz said.
"After having dinner on Friday evening at his home he went for a routine stroll, visited his shop and while ambling he was shot dead by unruly forces without any rhyme or reason," he added.
A relative of Bhat said that CRPF had intentions to show him as a suicide bomber (fidayeen) but "as soon as we heard gunshots we came out and got him back from the clutches of CRPF men. Unfortunately he (Inayatullah) succumbed to his injuries at Soura SKIMS hospital".
"CRPF was enjoying the scene when Bhat was battling for his life in a pool of blood," he added.
However, spokesperson of CRPF Dalip Singh when contacted told KIP that troopers stationed at Ikhwan hotel fired at 31-year-old Bhat when he ignored many calls to stop. "Bhat was approaching towards the main gate of the hotel and on suspicion CRPF sentry told him to stop but he ignored calls. Troopers thought he was a fidayeen and when he repeatedly ignored calls they fired at him resulting in his death," he said.
After the news about his death spread early today morning infuriated protesters –estimated to number 3,000 to 4,000 and including women and children, marched through the streets of Srinagar, carrying Bhat's body on a stretcher. Soon the traffic was disrupted and shops closed.
"We will spill blood for blood" and "We want Freedom", protesters shouted while carrying Bhat's body through Srinagar streets.
Chairman of a faction of All Parties Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani offered the funeral prayers of the deceased. Amid pro-freedom sloganeering Geelani later said that India was not even sparing unarmed men. "This is India's democracy," he satirically said while addressing a crowd.
Protesters were so angry that they not only hurled stones at police and government vehicles, tore down sign boards but even smashed police roadside kiosks.
Stores downed their shutters to protest Bhat's death and traffic came to a halt in main commercial areas.
Separatist parties headed by Yasin Malik and Javed Mir in their statements condemned the killing of youth and ridiculed "Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's promise of zero tolerance to human rights abuses". |
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