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| Youth gunned down in minutes of Ministers’ visit to curfewed town | | On 3rd killing, Govt decides to remove CRPF from Baramulla, books cop in murder case | |
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR, Jun 30: In a significant development tonight, Government has ordered complete replacement of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the burning Baramulla district headquarters and several other areas by Jammu & Kashmir Armed Police (JKAP) from tomorrow. This unprecedented security related decision has been taken by Omar Abdullah’s coalition government immediately after CRPF gunned down third 22-year-old youth during a clash this evening in minutes of the departure of two senior Ministers and DGP. Murder case has been registered against the ‘delinquent’ CRPF constable and Additional DG CRPF has been directed to give him in the custody of J&K Police for legal proceedings against him.
Informed sources revealed to Early Times that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today admonished his Cabinet colleagues for shying away from their responsibility of reaching out to the people, particularly in Shopian and Baramulla and failing to blend administrative initiatives with political support in tacking the law and order situation. At the ‘Coordination Committee’ meeting of National Conference and Congress, Chief Minister directed Minister of Rural Development Ali Mohammad Sagar and Minister of School Education Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed to visit the curfewed district headquarters of Baramulla and arrange an interaction with senior citizens through district and divisional administration.
Thereafter, Sagar, Peerzada and NC’s MLA from Rafiabad Javed Ahmed Dar, who were later joined by DGP Kuldeep Khoda, Additional DG CRPF, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Masood Samoon, IGP Kashmir, Dr B Srinivas, visited Baramulla and held a meeting with DC, DIG North Kashmir, SSP and CRPF officials. Sources said that Mr Sagar expressed his “surprise” over the “excessive use of force” by CRPF and reminded ADG CRPF recent commitments of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and other senior leaders of the country and the state about regarding human rights in all situations. Speaking assertively, Sagar directed DGP and ADG CRPF to ensure that there was “no more incident of human rights abuse”, particularly in Baramulla.
With the curfew being in force on second consecutive day in Baramulla and Sopore amid a dozen violations and people-CRPF clashes at different places, authorities succeeded in arranging a meeting of the Ministers and senior officials with nearly 70 senior and influential citizens at Dak Bungalow. Sources said that representatives of different mainstream and separatist parties, including Jamaat-e-Islamia, participated in the meeting and expressed their “shock and surprise” over the way CRPF had been dealing with the demonstrators.
As already reported, two youth had got killed and 50 others, including 30 Police and CRPF personnel, had sustained in yesterday’s ding-dong clashes at Baramulla, leading to imposition of indefinite curfew on the twin townships of Baramulla and Sopore.
Sources said that the Ministers and the senior officials at the Dak Bungalow meeting assured the population representatives that the recommendations of the magisterial inquiry would be implemented and anybody found guilty of any lapse or deliberate act of excessive force would be dealt with strictly under law, prosecuted and punished. They apologized for yesterday’s incidents on behalf of the government but sought the residents’ support and cooperation in restoration of order.
In minutes of the Ministers’ and senior officials’ departure by helicopter and vehicles, a group of nearly 100 youth violated curfew restrictions and formed a demonstration at Khanpora---residential locality of JKPCC President Prof Saifuddin Soz. Eyewitnesses said that after rounds of stone pelting and tearsmoke, some of the youth enacted a “provocative group dance” (Ragda). One of the infuriated CRPF constables fired straight on the chest of a 22-year-old youth who was accurately hit and died on spot. It evoked massive demonstratives and clashes between residents and CRPF/Police at different places.
Reports said that the residents refused to conduct the burial of the youth---3rd successive fatal casualty in two days---until DC Baramulla, Lateef-uz-Zamaan Deva, visited the spot. They demanded that CRPF should be completely withdrawn from Baramulla district, guilty CRPF soldier should be arrested by Police and tried in murder case and the authorities should give an assurance that there was no more incident of unprovoked firing on demonstrations.
Sources said that DC Baramulla rushed to the spot and interacted with a crowd of more than 2,000 people late in the evening. He assured them that all of their “genuine demands” would be taken up with the Government and necessary decisions would be taken and implemented within 24 hours. According to these sources, DC Baramulla spoke to Chief Secretary SS Kapur, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Khursheed Ahmed Ganai, FC Home Sameul Verghese and other senior government functionaries. They discussed the matter with Chief Minister and reportedly officials in Government of India. Thereafter, Chief Minister conveyed them the government’s decision of conceding the demands of the residents of Baramulla.
Late in the night, DC Baramulla, Lateef-uz-Zamaan Deva, told Early Times that a murder case was being registered against the delinquent CRPF official who was being identified in an identification parade in presence of senior Police and CRPF officials. He said that CRPF had been directed to give the identified CRPF constable into the custody of Police Station Baramulla. He confirmed that Government had also decided to withdraw CRPF from all areas of Baramulla district, excluding the border Tehsils of Uri, Boniyar and Tangmarg from tomorrow. He said that J&K Police would remain in the forefront of all law and order situations and Army would remain in “stand-by mode” to help the Police and civil administration wherever required.
Mr Deva said that additional deployments of JKP and JKAP would be provided in entire district to fill up the gap created by withdrawal of CRPF.
Earlier in the day, ding dong clashes continued between demonstrators and Police/CRPF as over a dozen violations of curfew occurred in Baramulla and Sopore towns. At least 20 police, including 10 Police/CRPF personnel, have reportedly sustained in these clashes. Reports said that an 11-year-old boy was among those who were grievously wounded. He had been rushed bto Srinagar and admitted to SKIMS. Reports said that on a call from Hurriyat (Geelani) near-total shutdown was observed in north Kashmir. Impact was nominal in Kupwara until groups of youth appeared on the roads and forced closure of all shops. They also pelted stones on vehicles.
Reports of partial shutdown were received from Budgam, Anantnag and Kulgam districts.
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