Srinagar: An elderly man who was hit by a teargas shell on 90-feet road Soura on November 2 died at SK Institute of Medical Sciences Soura last night, hospital authorities said.
Septuagenarian Ghulam Muhammad Khan, a former president of Secretariat Employees Union had gone out for a stroll outside his house when a teargas shell hit him on head in Ellahi Bagh near Government Housing Colony on 90-feet road Soura on November 2.
He was on ventilator since and medicos treating him had said that the chances of his survival were bleak.
“His 95 percent brain has been damaged by the shell. There are bleak chances of his survival. Currently, he is on ventilator and continues to be in critical state,” a senior medico attending him at SKIMS had said.
His family members said that there were no protests going on in the area when he was hit.
“Everything was normal in the area, although there were clashes going on in Anchar area which is three kilometers away from our residence where my grandfather was hit,” said Wasim Ahmad.
“He along with his friends was sitting on the parapet of housing Colony Park adjacent to his house. All of a sudden, forces came out of gypsy and fired teargas shell which hit my grandfather on the back side of his head causing grievous injuries to his brain, “he said.
A senior police official informed that FIR no. 124/2016 has been lodged into the incident and investigations are on “to find out the reasons behind his injury.”
No Major Change In Situation
Even as some shops opened while private and public transport plied in some areas of the city and other towns of the Kashmir Valley on Thursday, normal life continued to remain affected on the 132nd consecutive day due to the unrest triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
There was still no change in the situation as business establishments and educational institutions remained closed and majority public transport remained off the roads for the 132 consecutive day on Thursday in the Kashmir valley, where separatists have extended the strike till November 24.
Students continued to stay away from their schools though teaching and other staff are now attending duties of course without doing any work. Even government and private schools remained deserted in the valley, including summer capital, Srinagar. However, the management of schools, including private institutions, have directed students to attend their classes on Saturday and Sunday when there is relaxation in the strike.
Shops and business establishments remained closed and passenger vehicles, including buses remained off the roads in Srinagar, the summer capital, Srinagar. However, large number of cabs and three wheelers besides private vehicles, particularly two wheelers, flooded the streets in the city and district routes.
However, the buses remained parked in general bus stand Pantha Chowk and Batmaloo since July 9.
Business activities remained paralysed at major business hubs in Srinagar.
However, majority banks and other financial institutions were now functioning normally barring in trouble spots.
Shops, fuel stations and other business establishments were shut in Srinagar as well as in other district headquarters of the Valley due to the strike called by the separatists, officials said.
However, in some areas in the civil lines and the outskirts of the city here as well as in some other towns of the Valley, few passenger vehicles were seen plying, the officials said, adding few shops were also open in these areas Some inter-district cabs, connecting the summer capital with other districts of the Valley, were also plying.
Many vendors have put up their stalls along TRC Chowk-Batamaloo axis through Lal Chowk city centre, while banks were also open across the Valley and witnessed rush of customers.
The separatists, who are spearheading the ongoing agitation since Wani's killing in an encounter with security forces on July 8, have announced two full days of relaxation on Saturday and Sunday in the agitation programme — the first full day relaxation since July 8.
Teargas Shelling In Downtown
Security forces burst teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse demonstrators who pelted stones in the down town city late this afternoon.
The trouble started shortly before security forces were leaving Safa Kadal in the down town after day-long duty to prevent any law and order problem.
People, mostly youths, took to streets and pelted stones when security forces were leaving the area. However, when the demonstrators,raising pro freedom slogans, were trying to hit the main Safa Kadal road.
Security forces resorted to lathicharge to disperse the demonstrators which had no impact.
Later security forces burst teargas shells and chased away the demonstrators, who were regrouping and pelting stones from narrow lanes. Traffic was also diverted through other routes.
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