Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 8: Family members of a youth, who was shot and injured during a shootout in Lawaypora area of city outskirts earlier this week today held protest demonstrations claiming that their son is innocent.
Scores of family members of Umar Fayaz, who was injured along with two who were later identified to be militants, said that their son had just went out when a stray bullet came and hit him, leaving him injured.
Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, father of the injured youth said that his son owns a shop in Batamalloo area of Srinagar and had come out to the shop of his father-just outside the T K College along the highway.
“The spot where the shootout occurred is at the distance of more than 800 metres from the place where my son was standing; we have a shop just opposite of the college and the spot of firing is up ahead near Yateem Trust,” Fayaz Ahmad, who is himself a patient, said.
Earlier, the police had identified the injured youth as Umar Fayaz who was allegedly told to be associated with the ISJK. The police had also said that three people were riding a scooter-the third one was said to be Umar.
His father said the family has not got any links with the militants and their son is just like any other common man walking on the streets. “His mother is a patient, while he was carry on with the business, he used to remain busy with his mother who is ill since 2010,” he said.
Arshid Ahmad Thakur, a relative of the injured youth who is undergoing treatment at SMHS hospital, said that the family has got only hope and that was their son.
“He has got a shop at Rekchowk Batamallo where he used to sell chicken; on the fateful day, he had come out to carry out cleaning of the shop of his father along the highway-that was the moment he was hit by a bullet out of nowhere,” he said, adding that if anything adverse comes out with regard to Umar, the family was ready to face the consequences.
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