In Depth: Curfew clamped in Shopain, 4 killed The Jammu and Kashmir government Saturday clamped an undeclared curfew to quell massive protests in Shopian district after government forces allegedly gunned down four youth while they were traveling on motorcycles. Director General of Police, Ashok Prasad, said that they were ascertaining the facts while Deputy Commissioner of the district said they are waiting for police confirmation and a probe may be ordered if need arises. However, in a press release issued by the police, late evening, it rebutted its claims that the slain youth were militants. The statement issued by the police to the press said: "A CRPF checking party was fired upon by anti national elements in Gagran, Shopian this afternoon. The CRPF party retaliated and in the ensuing firefight, two anti national elements got killed. One pistol and two grenades were recovered from their possession. In this incident three more persons identified as Towseef Ahmed Bhat son of Gul Mohammad resident of Baba Mohalla Shopian, Aadil Rehman Wachkoo son of Abdul Rehman resident of Shopian and Mohammad Yousuf of Durpora, Zainpora were injured. While Mohammad Yousuf died on the place of incident, Towseef Ahmad Bhat died on way to hospital, Aadil Ahmad Wachkoo has been admitted in SMHS, Srinagar and is stable. The identity of the anti national elements is being ascertained. The phone which was recovered from the unidentified anti national elements has been used by militants of Lashker." CRPF officials claimed that the youth killed in CRPF firing were militants. Witnesses said that people in Gagrin area of Shopian ran for their lives when CRPF troopers suddenly resorted to indiscriminate firing in broad day light. “Everything was peaceful and I was busy with my work when I heard gun shots. We were shocked to see the bodies of youth lying on road in front of CRPF 14 Battalion Head Quarter. As people tried to come close to the spot, CRPF resorted to aerial firing and forced people to flee from the spot,” one of the witnesses said. The brother of one injured youth Aadil Rehman who was shifted to SMHS said Aadil was on motorcycle that was driven by his friend when CRPF suddenly fired upon them. “Aadil was on way to Degree College Shopian to appear in examination. He is not a militant but a student,” Omar Rehman said adding that it was the Station House Officer Shopian who allowed us to move Aadil to hospital in critical condition. “I am the witness. CRPF personnel were dragging a body and my injured brother. They handed over Aadil to police station Shopian. SHO Shopian allowed us to shift Aadil to Hospital and it is because of him that he is alive,” Omar said. Police sources said that some unidentified persons lobbed a grenade on CRPF Headquarter. During retaliation four youth were killed while two others were injured. Soon after the incident, hundreds of people came on roads and raised anti-CRPF and anti-India slogans. They were demanding the registration of murder cases against CRPF personnel. No police official confirmed the actual number of deaths and their identity. Media personnel were barred from entering into police station Shopian where dead bodies had been kept. “The slain youth are all civilians. If they are militants then why police is not revealing their identity and handing over their bodies to us,” one of the protestors said. Despite repeated attempts no police official picked up the phone. However Director General of Police Ashok Prasad said that they are ascertaining the fact. “People have started stone pelting in the area and are not allowing police to ascertaining the facts. The information we have got is that some unidentified militants fired upon CRPF personnel and in retaliation two militants were killed. CRPF has also recovered one pistol and 2 grenades from the deceased militants,” Prasad said. CRPF PRO, Kishor Prasad told CNS that six youth appeared on motorcycles and fired upon the personnel of Quick Action Team who reacted immediately and killed three militants on spot. “We have recovered some arms and ammunition from them. We killed militants and not civilians,” he said but refused to reveal their identity. “You can ascertain their identity from the local police,” Prasad said. The father of the one youth killed in CRPF firing identified as Tawseef Ahmed Bhat said that his son was running a shop in upper bazaar of Shopian and he was not a militant. “Police had arrested my son for his alleged role in stone pelting but he was released some six months ago. He was innocent and had nothing to do with militancy,” he said. Meanwhile, hundreds of CRPF and police personnel were deployed in Shopian and strict curfew was imposed in the town. Deputy Commissioner Shopian, Bashir Ahmed Bhat said that they are waiting for the police confirmation and if need arises, a committee would be constituted to probe the incident.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 16:09:02 +0000
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