Srinagar, June 12: The Indian Kashmir was on boil on Saturday over the killing of a teenager in alleged police action. The teenager was laid to rest amidst tear gas shelling by the policemen.
Mourners carry the coffin of teenager above shoulders protesting the Indian police - Photo By : Aman Farooq/GK
A 17-year old Tufail Ahmad Matoo, class 12th student, died in alleged police action at Rajouri Kadal area of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir on Friday evening. The locals alleged that he died in police action.
The body of the slain youth was handed over to family members on Saturday morning after conducting of autopsy. Later, hundreds of people defied undeclared curfew imposed by authorities in most parts of old city and participated in the funeral procession of the deceased teenager. Chanting pro-freedom, pro-Islamic, anti-India and anti-police slogans, the mourners were demanding action against the policemen involved in killing the youth.
As the mourners were marching towards martyrs graveyard Iddgah to bury the deceased youth, they had to face police tear gas shelling at several place. The police and paramilitary soldiers, who were deployed in strength in Srinagar, fired dozens of tear smoke shells towards the mourners at Kathidarwaza, Rainawari, Nowhatta, Gojwara and other areas leading towards the martyrs graveyard. However, braving tear gas shelling and aerial firing by the cops, the mourners diverted the funeral procession through different areas and managed to reach the martyrs graveyard, where hundreds of people amidst chanting of pro-freedom and pro-Islamic slogans offered the funeral prayers of the slain youth.
People did not allow moderate Kashmiri separatist leader and cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other moderate leaders to lead the funeral prayers. The funeral prayers of the slain youth were lead by his uncle.
Hundreds of police and paramilitary soldiers, who were deployed in summer capital of Indian Kashmir, did not allow mourners to reach the house of the victim to express their solidarity and condolences with the bereaved family. The area was completely sealed and cops were not allowing people to move towards the ‘restricted area’.
In most parts of the Srinagar, youth defied the tight security restrictions and staged anti-India demonstrations. They clashed with police and paramilitary personnel, who fired tear smoke shells and resorted to massive baton charge. The protestors retaliated by hurling bricks and stones towards the cops, who also fired several rounds in air. Several persons including some police and mediamen were injured in the clashes.
The protestors alleged that the teenager was killed by policemen and were demanding action against the cops.
In a related incident, top separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani was taken into custody by police to prevent him from leading any protests.
Meanwhile, a police spokesman said in order to ascertain the actual cause of death, a team of doctors conducted postmortem of the deceased. “Afterwards the body was handed over to the legal heirs. Once the postmortem report is received and cause of death ascertained, police shall order an internal probe and delivery of justice will be visible to general public,” he said.
He said several persons including 15 policemen were injured in clashes on Saturday. “The condition of a policeman injured yesterday continues to be in a serious condition,” he added.
