SRINAGAR: A 28-year-old youth was killed and ten persons were injured when paramilitary forces opened fire on a group of protesters outside their camp in Shopian on Wednesday. Firing on the protesters outside Gagrin camp was second such incident in four days. Personnel from the 14th battalion of CRPF, housed in the camp, had shot dead four youth on Saturday last.
Eyewitnesses said that Mohammad Rafiq Rather, a resident of Saidpora hamlet was killed when CRPF personnel fired upon protestors outside their camp. Protesters were demanding shifting of the camp from the area.
Eyewitnesses said soon after curfew was lifted in the town on Wednesday morning, hundreds of people assembled outside the CRPF camp in Gagren demanding the camp be shifted elsewhere.
Curfew had been imposed in the town on Saturday after the CRPF personnel of the camp shot dead four youths, a few hours ahead of Zubin Mehtas concert in Srinagar. Security had been heightened across the valley for the concert.
Initial reports said the protestors, raising pro-freedom slogans clashed with the CRPF deployed for camps security. The protestors had blocked the road prompting CRPF personnel to resort to force. They resorted to firing injuring at least nine persons. Rafiq Ahmed Rather alias Rafi was seriously injured and was immediately rushed to hospital where he breathed his last.
As the news about his death spread thousands came out and carried his body from Gagrin to Memindar in a procession.
Hundreds of people assembled outside Gagrin camp and resumed protests. Another group of protestors attacked the residential quarter of Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Parvez Sajad and tried to set it ablaze. Police swung into action and dispersed the protestors by lobbing tear smoke shells.
During the clashes several persons, including Station House Officer, Shopian, Irshad Ahmed was injured.
Authorities immediately re-imposed curfew in the town. Police vehicles fitted with loud hailers announced the imposition of curfew. Reports said that around four thousand protestors, defying curfew, marched from Golchakri, Shopian. Protestors were raising pro-freedom and anti-India slogans and soon they clashed with riot-police and CRPF resulting in ding dong battles.
Later, according to eyewitnesses reports, thousands of people participated in funeral procession of the slain youth. As the procession moved ahead, some youth pelted stones on CRPF personnel who reacted by hurling tear smoke shells on the procession. There was panic and the coffin of the youth was lying on the road for almost half an hour.
Residents alleged that CRPF men caught hold of men and woman in the procession during the mêlée and detained them in Gagrin CRPF camp. This infuriated protesters further and more people came out to protest.
Meanwhile reports said , Aliya Jan, daughter of Abdullah Mir, resident of Gagrin who sustained pellet gun injuries was referred in a critical condition to SMHS hospital.
Among the ten injured persons those identified include Muhammad Umar Mir son of Nazir Ahmad Mir resident of Gagrin, Nazir Ahmad Lone son of Ali Mohammad Lone resident of Aliyalpora, Ghulam Mohammad resident of Gagrin.
When contacted Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Prasad confirmed the death of Rafiq Ahmad Rather and said he had sustained 1.5 mm pellet injury in his abdomen. Prasad said that the injured youth was taken to hospital by the crowd and police did not know how he died.
It would be premature to say exact cause of death as people did not let us post-mortem his body, DGP said.
Public Relations Officer, CRPF, Kishor Prasad said that CRPF did not shot a single fire. CRPF is blamed for everything. We did not fire a single shot there. CRPF did not kill the youth and we are not responsible for his death, Prasad said.
CNS quoting an unconfirmed report said that the CRPF party which fired at the youth was on itsway to the residence of National Conference leader and ex-MLA, Shiekh Mohammad Rafi.
Shopian has been on boil eversince CRPF personnel from Gagrin camp killed four youth on Saturday with demands for camps removal gaining momentum.
The residents had said the four youths, shot dead on Saturday, were civilians and had been killed in cold blood. The police later said three of the four killed were civilians and had no militancy record, while the fourth is suspected to be a Lashkar-e-Taiba militant. Locals however said that the fourth one was a labourer from Bihar. Police has so far failed to identify the deceased.
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