5 More Die in Police Firing in Kashmir, Toll Reaches 27 in 5 Days
Srinagar, Aug 7: The dance of death continues in Indian administered Kashmir and at least five more civilian protestors died in police firing in the region on Tuesday, taking the death toll of civilians since Friday to 27.
The policemen fired on protestors at Qamarwari and Narwara areas in Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian administered Kashmir, causing death of two protestors. One of the deceased was identified as 18-year old Anees Ahmad Ganai.
The body of the teenager was carried in a procession towards martyrs graveyard Eidgah. Thousands of people including women defied curfew and participated in the funeral procession of the outh amidst
chanting of pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. The slogans like, "Go India Go Back," "Blood for Blood" and "We Want Freedom" rented the air.
The policemen also fired on protestors at Kulgam in South Kashmir and Baramulla in North Kashmir causing the death of three protestors and injuries to many others. At least 15 persons sustained in police action in Frisal and Yatipora, Kulgam areas in South Kashmir.
The police and paramilitary soldiers also fired on protestors at Sheikhpora, Budgam in central Kashmir. Thousands of people chanting pro-freedom, pro-Islamic and anti-India slogans were marching towards the Railway Station, when they were intercepted by policemen, who opened fire on them, causing injuries to five persons. The injured have been hospitalized.
Meanwhile, a civilian, who was critically injured in a powerful blast in a police camp in the Khrew area of Srinagar on Sunday, succumbed to injuries in the hospital on Tuesday morning.
Reports said that a 45-year old man Mohammad Akbar Wani sustained critical head injuries in police firing at Rangwar village in north Kashmir's Baramulla on Tuesday morning. "Akbar was part of a big procession that was marching peacefully and was intercepted by the policemen. The cops lobbed tear smoke shells and fired towards the protestors. One of the bullet hit Akbar in the head and he has been taken to Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment. The doctors attending on him have termed his condition as life threatening," reports said.
Meanwhile, authorities foiled hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani's proposed march to martyrs graveyard Iddgah. Geelani, who was set free by authorities yesterday, had called for "Iddgah March" on Tuesday.
The authorities re-arrested the 8-year old Syed Ali Geelani from a leading hospital in Srinagar, where he was undergoing treatment.
Geelani had planned to take out a march from there to Srinagar's Eidgah Martyrs' Graveyard today. He had called upon youth to maintain peace and not to throw stones on paramilitary forces and march towards Eidgah. He had also appealed the government to lift the curfew today.
Meanwhile, people took to roads at dozens of places across Kashmir and staged massive anti-India demonstration. At many places, the protestors clashed with police and paramilitary soldiers, who lobbed tear smoke canisters and resorted to firing to disperse the crowd protesting against the "killing spree" of cops.
In one of the worst incidents, police and paramilitary CRPF men beat a 7-year boy to death in uptown Batmaloo area of Srinagar on Monday. Witnesses said that police and paramilitary CRPF men caught hold of 7-year old boy Sameer Ahmad Rah son of Fayaz Ahmad Rah at Batmaloo. "They beat him to pulp till he died," they said.
With five deaths on Tuesday, at least 27 persons, mostly youngmen have been killed in police firing in Kashmir since Friday. The killings have increased anger against India and Kashmir government and people across the region have been defying curfew and taking to roads. The region has been on boil since June 11, when a 17-year old boy died in police action in Rajouri Kadal area of Srinaga
5 More Die in Police Firing in Kashmir, Toll Reaches 27 in 5 Days