SRINAGAR: An strict curfew is in its 14th day in Shopian town of south Kashmir to prevent violence over the killing of five people by paramilitary CRPF, police said.
It was relaxed late in the afternoon yesterday.
Senior separatist leader, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq has announced that he will visit the town today along with his colleagues and workers. Earlier on Tuesday, the authorities prevented him from making a similar attempt.
Four people were killed on September 7 by the CRPF in Gagren. Three of them were civilians while the fourth is yet to be identified. Four days later, another civilian was shot dead when he was coming out of an alley in the same area.
The government has initiated a magisterial inquiry into the killings and has also directed that the CRPF personnel in Gagren village be replaced by the state policemen.
The Union Home Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde has also ordered a detailed inquiry into the killings. However separatists have dismissed the inquiries as eyewash.
Meanwhile five people have deposed before a one-man panel inquiring into the incident. District Magistrate Shopian, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, had asked the witnesses to depose before him and provide information, if any.
Although none turned turned up for the first three days since Monday, five witnesses provided information on Thursday.
However, Mr Bhat refused to divulge details. “I cannot share things with the media as of now. Let the probe complete and everything will come to fore,” he told the Greater Kashmir newspaper.
