#EXCLUSIVE Chattergam killings || Didn’t expect army to fire,say injured teens ‘Three army men loaded guns,fired indiscriminately’ Srinagar,November 05:Two hospitalized teenage boys who survived after army fired at a car after it allegedly jumped a mobile check point in Budgam district have spoken about the incident that has evoked rage in the conflict-torn region. The injured boys who were fired upon by army soldiers in Chattergam village two days ago broke their silence and spoke exclusively to GNS on Wednesday about the incident which left two of their friends dead. School going boys Zahid Ayoub and Shakir Ahmad Bhat were critically injured after army men fired on the Maruti 800 car in which they were travelling along with three of their friends Faisal,Mehraj-ud-din Dar and Basim. Faisal and Mehraj were killed while Basim escaped unhurt.Zahid was hit by a bullet in his right leg while Shakir was hit in shoulder.Both are currently admitted in the army hospital in Srinagar. Speaking exclusively to GNS,the duo said they were on their way to their house from Chattergam.They said Faisal was driving the car and Basim was sitting with him on the front seat,while Mehraj,who also died in the firing,was sitting with them on the back seat. “We were moving with fast speed and in the meantime,army men directed us to stop by showing their hands and also whistled,”said bed-ridden Zahid,adding:“only I saw army men directing us to stop and I told Faisal that they are directing to stop.” “Faisal couldn’t understand what I said because all of us were busy cracking jokes.I told him again and he looked backward towards me and in the meanwhile,our car brushed a tipper on right side.But,we were unhurt,”Zahid said. He said as they started to slow down the car,three army men loaded their guns and started volley of fire on them.“After they showered bullets on us,they came closer to our car and said they shouted at us like give your weapon. Even as blood was oozing out from our body,we cried we are students,”he said. Zahid told GNS that they told army men that they don’t have any weapon.“We told them to search the car,”he said.After army couldn’t find anything,they took all of them to army hospital in an armoured vehicle.Army had said the teens ignored the order to stop at three check points.“Three motor vehicle check points were established along the route to nab the militants.The car in which these youth were travelling did not stop at two check points when they were flagged down.They even broke through the third barrier leading to the security forces opening firing on them,”the army had said in a statement on Monday evening. Shakir Ahmad Bhat,who is eleventh grader Arts student,said he doesn’t know whether army directed them to stop or not as their car brushed the tripper and their attention was diverted.“Army suddenly opened fire.We started to shout:what is happening with us,”he said,adding Faisal and Mehraj lost conscious.“We couldn’t later utter a word,” Shakir said,adding: “as if someone had put a lock on our mouths.”He said another of their friend,Basim,managed to escape unhurt as he alighted as soon as the car stopped. Both the injured friends told GNS that they didn’t expect army to fire.“We had never thought that army would target us like this.”“I get nightmares about the incident.I can’t sleep,”Shakir concludes.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 12:29:08 +0000
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