Fayaz Bukhari
SRIANGAR, July 16: In a tragic accident involving a military crane and a SUV on Srinagar-Baramulla highway in Srinagar this morning, seven commuters were killed and two injured. The accident was followed by massive protests and clashes between police and security forces leading huge traffic jams on the highway.
The mishap took place near HMT on Srinagar-Baramulla highway when a military crane bearing registration number 01P013859W of 51 RR collided head on with a Tavera vehicle bearing registration number JK01P-1464 near Noora Hospital.
The crane was part of Army convoy and was on way from Srinagar to Baramulla while as the civilian vehicle was on way to Srinagar from Sopore in North Kashmir.
All the injured were shifted to hospital where three persons succumbed to injuries on way to hospital and four others passed away during treatment.
The dead have been identified as Mohammed Rafiq Antoo son of Ghulam Mohammad of Dugliteng, Baramulla; Ghulam Nabi Dar son of Mohammad Ismaiel of Kranshoo Colony, Sopore;Ghulam Hassan Bhat (driver) son of Abdul Samad of Dangarpora in Baramulla; Naseer Ahmad Mir son of Mohammad Jamal of Mumkak, Sopore; Pir Mohammed Syed son of Pir Sharif-ud-Din of Ashpir, Sopore; Mohammad Ramzan son of Ghulam Nabi of Sopore and Zareefa wife of Ashiq Hussain of Diver Pattan. The husband of Zareefa, Ashiq Hussain and Sheikh Zaid son of Abdul Qayoom of Naseem Bagh, Sopore who are critically injured have been admitted in SKIMS hospital in Srinagar.
Soon after the accident, the locals protested against Army and clashed with police.
Angry youth tried to set the crane on fire and thrashed its driver, however, Army fired few shots in air to disperse the angry protesters. The contingents of Army immediately reached to the spot and rescued the driver identified as Hawaldar Krishan Singh.
The angry youth pelted stones on police and security forces leading to clashes between police and youth. Police charged batons and fired tear smoke to disperse them. Two protesters were injured in the clashes and they were treated in Noora Hospital.
The clashes led to major traffic jam on the highway disconnecting North Kashmir from Srinagar. However, the traffic was restored at around 3 p.m. but the security forces are heavily deployed on the highway upto Narbal. Sporadic clashes were reported till late in the evening and residents said that police beat up residents of adjoining localities and smashed the window panes.
Police said that driver of the Army crane, Hawaldar Krishan Singh, has been arrested and the crane was seized. A case (under FIR No. 139/2014 under Section 279, 337, 304 A RPC) has been registered in Police Station Parimpora and investigation into the matter has been taken up. “In aftermath accident there was some minor law and order situation which has been brought under control”, police said.
Meanwhile hundreds of people took to streets and staged anti-army protests in Sopore where from these commuters belonged. Stone pelting and clashes were also received from several places at Sopore town
Defence spokesman, Col S D Goswami, in a statement issued here said that an Army vehicle and a civil Tavera vehicle met with an accident near Lawepura village on National Highway today, resulting in the death of seven persons and injuries to two more persons. “The General Officer Commanding in Chief, Northern Command, Lt General DS Hooda has expressed deep anguish and regrets on the unfortunate loss of innocent lives and conveys his deepest condolences to the bereaved families”, the statement said.
“Police are investigating the case. Army authorities are extending full cooperation to the Police to enable expeditious and early completion of the inquiry into the accident”, the spokesman added.
Chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani appealed people to observe complete shutdown on July 17 and called for the peaceful protest demonstration on 18 July, Friday, against the Israeli aggression in Gaza and to mourn the tragic deaths in the HMT incident.
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