Srinagar, Aug 25: Yet another youth succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday, taking the total number of civilians killed by police and CRPF during the ongoing unrest to 64, bringing the toll at par with the killings during the summer agitation of 2008 over the transfer of land to Amarnath Shrine Board.
Omar Qayoum Bhat son of Abdul Qayoum Bhat of Malik Sahab, Soura, died at SK Institute of Medical Sciences today. Doctors said 17-year old Omar was admitted in the institute on August 23.
He had internal injuries. His lungs were bleeding and were badly damaged. His condition worsened today and he succumbed, a senior doctor at SKIMS told Greater Kashmir.
Omar, a class XI student, was picked up by police on August 20 along with two other youthAmir Bashir Sheikh son of Bashir Ahmad of Umarheir, Buchpora, and Irshad Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Qadir of Dar Mohalla, Soura.
However, the three were granted bail a few days later by a court and they went home. Omar, his family said, was admitted to the SKIMS as blood started oozing from his month and he complained of severe pain on August 23. They said he was tortured in police custody.
Massive protests broke out in Soura and its neighbourhood as people, young and old, poured onto streets and staged pro-freedom demonstrations against his death.
He was brutally tortured in the custody and it is a cold blooded murder, locals said. Omar was the only son of his parents. He has three sisters.
The angry protesters pelted police and CRPF with stones who responded by caning, lobbing tear smoke ammunition and pump action shots.
The protesters also set ablaze a police vehicle, JK02B-4826, and damaged an Alto car, JKO1J-2756, of a police officer. They also attempted to set ablaze the old residence of National Conference founder, Sheikh Abdullah.
The ding-dong battles, which continued till late in the evening, left nearly half 18 protesters injured.
Several of them were admitted to SKIMS where doctors said six had sustained pellet injuries and two had been thrashed by forces.
Late in the evening, protests erupted in uptown Barzulla after police picked up two teenagers during raids. Locals said police arrested Owais Ahmad and Muhammad Younis from old Barzulla.
Police caned protesters and lobbed teargas shells to disperse them. Locals said they beat up people and damaged the window panes of a Masjid in the locality.
Meanwhile, police and CRPF were deployed heavily across the city. They imposed curfew in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of police stations Batamloo, Bemina, Qamarwari, Kralkhud, Nowhatta, Khanyar, Maharajgunj, Safakadal, Maisuma, Shaheedgunj and Abi-guzar area of Kothibagh on the orders of district administration.
FIRING IN PAMPORE, YOUTH INJURED:
A youth was critically injured in Pampore town of South Kashmir district of Pulwama when the paramilitary forces opened fire on a procession Wednesday afternoon.
Eyewitnesses said a youth identified as Javed Ahmed Bhat, 20, son of Abdul Ahad Bhat of Frastibal, Pampore, was injured when CRPF personnel without any provocation fired at a peaceful procession near Drangbal, Pampore, on Srinagar-Jammu highway.
Javaid received bullet injuries in his neck and was rushed to SMHS in Srinagar, where his condition is said to be critical.
As soon as the word about the firing incident spread in the town thousands of people from Drangabal, Frastibal and Kadalbal came out on streets and protested against the CRPF action. They also burnt tyres and erected barricades at various places and blocked the highway for several hours. Army was then pressed into service and it conducted a flag march.
The army personnel also caught hold of three youth and thrashed them mercilessly, said the eyewitnesses adding that the injured youth were admitted in the sub-district hospital Pampore.
Angry youth then clashed with police and CRPF at various places.
The protesters resorted to heavy stone pelting on police who retaliated by tear gas shelling and firing several rounds in air. The protesters also attacked a police and CRPF vehicle with stones and bricks, damaging them. Clashes were going on when reports last came in.
Restrictions were imposed in Pulwama township also amid reports of protest demonstrations from Preechoo, Rajpora and Chatipora areas.
Similar restrictions were enforced in Awantipora and Tral areas with reports of protest demonstrations. Pro-freedom demonstrations also rocked Shopian town and its adjoining areas.
Reports of protest demonstrations were also received from Kulgam and Qaimoh towns and the adjoining areas.
In Bijbehara town also severe restrictions were imposed and police and CRPF men were deployed in strength.
In Islamabad town despite severe restrictions youth took to streets at various areas in old town- Cheeni Chowk, Reeshi Bazar, Malakhnag, Lal Chowk- and entered into clashes with police and CRPF. The forces lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse the youth who retaliated by hurling stones and bricks. Reports of demonstrations were also received from certain civil lines area of K.P road- Khanabal, Laizibal, Gulshanabad. Clashes were on till late in the evening.
Reports of shutdown poured in form north Kashmir districts and towns of Sopur, Varmul, Ganderbal, Kupwara, Handwara and Bandipora.
POLICE SPEAKS:
A section of mourners in Soura indulged in arson and stone pelting on an armed police picket by setting on fire a police vehicle and a private vehicle. Police intervened and chased away the mob using minimum force, a police spokesman said.
A huge mob today resorted to heavy stone pelting on the vehicles passing through Pampore. A vehicle was damaged and the driver suffered some injuries. The police used mild lathi charge and chased away the stone pelting mob. However, one injured namely Javed Ahmad Bhat has been admitted in SMHS Hospital with shoulder and neck injuries. Police has taken cognizance and is looking into the matter. The condition of the injured is so far stable, he said.