Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, July 19: A youth was today killed in an alleged Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) firing in Kulgam district of South Kashmir during protests against Israeli aggression in Gaza. At least two dozen persons including police men were injured in the clashes in the aftermath of the killing.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar told Excelsior that security forces opened fire to rescue Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Headquarter Kulgam, Irshad Ahmad, who along with his escort were encircled by the mob at Qaimoh during protests. The mob tried to lynch a police constable when the security forces opened firing.
Kumar said an 18-year-old Suhail Ahmad Lone son of Ghulam Qadir Lone resident of Huwoora Mishipora in Kulgam was killed in the firing.
Reports said hundreds of people from Khudwani and Qaimoh villages took out an anti-Israel protest rally this afternoon. The protesters were also angry over the yesterday’s firing incident in which a youth had sustained bullet injury during anti-Israel protests in the area.
Reports said that when protesters reached Main Chowk Qaimoh near Government Higher Secondary School, the CRPF resorted to teargas shelling followed by firing on demonstrators in which Suhail sustained injuries in his abdomen.
The youth was rushed to Primary Health Centre Qaimoh and was later shifted to District Hospital Anantnag where doctors declared him brought dead.
After Suhail’s death, thousands of people took to streets and protested against his killing at Qaimoh and Khudwani. The protesters clashed with police at several places. Violent clashes also broke out in Anantnag town against the killing of youth. The clashes were going on till late in the evening in which at least two dozen people including police men were injured.
Thousands of people later participated in the funeral of the Suhail that was held at Jamia Masjid Qaimoh and later the body was taken to his native village in a procession where he was buried.
Qaimoh and Khudwani were partially shut since early morning against Friday’s firing incident in which a youth was injured.
The paramilitary CRPF denied that their men opened fire on protesters. The PRO CRPF Kishore Prasad said that their men have no role in Kulgam firing incident.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today hit out at those exploiting the people’s anger against death in Gaza.
“Anger over the death in Gaza is understandable, exploiting that anger is not,” Omar tweeted. He described the death of Suhail in Qaimoh today as “terrible tragedy”.
“The people organizing and orchestrating these protests need to ask themselves whether they feel any guilt over this youth’s death today,” Omar said.
He said the Government will inquire into the circumstances surrounding Suhail’s death and any unnecessary use of force of violation of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
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