Srinagar, June 11: The killing of a youth in alleged police firing on Friday triggered massive protests in Indian Kashmir with youth taking to roads and staging anti-India demonstrations.

“Minor protests were going on at Rajouri Kadal area, some 5 kms from summer capital Srinagar on Friday evening. During this process, the policemen chased the youth and fired towards one of them, Tufail Ahmad from point blank range while he was trying to cross the Gani Memorial Stadium,” a local shopkeeper, an eyewitness to the incident said.

He said Tufail, 15, was hit by the bullet on head and sustained critical injured. “He was shifted to hospital by people, where doctors declared him brought dead,” the eyewitness said.

As the news spread that 15-year-old-youth, who was a class 11th student had died in police action, people especially youth in the area and other parts of old city took to roads and staged massive anti-India demonstrations. Chanting pro-freedom, pro-Islamic and anti-India slogans, the protestors were demanding action against the policemen, who fired towards the youth, causing his death.

The protestors tried to take out a protest march but were intercepted by police and paramilitary personnel. The cops fired tear smoke shells and resorted to massive baton charge to disperse the agitating people. The clashes continued for long time and at least eight persons including some policemen were injured in the clashes.

A senior police officer said the youth died of injury due to stone pelting. “We did not use force to quell the demonstrations,” he said adding investigations have been launched.

The killing of the teenager will further increase tension in the region, which has been witnessing turmoil since past 20 years.

The region is already on boil over the killing of three youth in a fake encounter by Indian army on April 30.

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National Turk / India – Faiz Ahmad

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