Shopian under curfew Srinagar, September 7: Authorities imposed undeclared curfew to quell massive protests in South Kashmir’s Shopian district after CRPF personnel allegedly gunned down four civilians who were moving towards Shopian town on their motor cycles. Director General of Police said that they are ascertaining the facts while Deputy Commissioner Pulwama said they are waiting for police confirmation and a probe may be ordered if need arises. However, CRPF officials claimed that the youth killed in CRPF firing were militants. Eyewitnesses told CNS that people in Gagrin area of Shopian ran for their lives when CRPF personnel suddenly resorted to indiscriminate firing in broad day light. “Everything was peaceful and busy in his work when we 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 told CNS that 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 of it. CRPF personnel were dragging a dead 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 dead 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 told CNS. 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 motor cycles 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 told CNS 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 16:02:49 +0000
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