Rakib Altaf
SRINAGAR: A strict curfew is in its second day in parts of capital Srinagar and some other towns to prevent violence from escalating after security forces shot dead a young man in north Kashmir on Tuesday.
Elsewhere in the valley, a spontaneous shutdown is being observed.
Tahir Ahmed Sofi died due to bullet injuries in the head and chest after witnesses say the Army fired live bullets in Baramulla district.
Curfew has been imposed in Rainawari, Khanyar, Nowhatta, Safa Kadal, Maharajganj, Zadibal, Maisuma and Kralkhud areas of downtown Srinagar, a police spokesman said.
Curfew is also enforced in Baramulla, the hometown of the youth, and Sopore besides Trehgam town in frontier district of Kupwara in north Kashmir.
In other parts of the valley, shops and other businesses are closed and traffic has been affected. Police and paramilitaries in riot gear have been deployed in strength and restrictions have been imposed in Kulgam and Pulwama towns in southern valley.
Mobile internet resumed yesterday evening, nearly 24 hours after they were blocked by the authorities.
Paralysed
Life in Kashmir valley is on a standstill since Monday, when separatist leaders had called for a shutdown to protest against the death of a young PhD scholar, who was found hanging at his hostel room in Hyderabad.
There are conflicting versions of how Mudasir Kamran died, but the separatists believe he was “tortured to death by Hindu fanatics”.
On Tuesday, they had asked people to march to the home of late Kamran’s home in Parigam village in Pulwama to condole with his family. Late that afternoon, Tahir Ahmed Sofi died in north Kashmir.
The shutdown since then has been spontaneous and no separatist group has asked people to observe a strike.
Scores of people, including police and paramilitary personnel, have been injured during clashes on Wednesday.
Colonel Blamed
Witnesses told freepresskashmir.com that Sofi died after the Army fired live bullets, perhaps “provoked by some kids who hooted at a patrol of the 46th unit of the Rashtriya Rifles.”
The chief minister Omar Abdullah told the legislative assembly immediately after the killing that “there were no reports that there were any militants who fired or that firing started from the side of the protesters”.
“We have dealt with stone pelting before,” an emotional Abdullah added while saying that the killing was unjustified.
The police have filed an FIR against the Army on the directions of the district head or the deputy commissioner of Baramulla. The FIR blames Colonel Dalbinder Singh for the killing, according to NDTV.
The Army has, however, denied any involvement in the killing of Tahir Sofi saying a foot patrol of theirs came under attack by a group of angry youth. Hinting at the involvement of militants, an army spokesman said the patrol fired into the air “which could not have killed the youth”.
This is not the first time that a case has been registered against members of the security forces in Kashmir. However, prosecuting them requires seeking permission from the union government, under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
Human rights believe New Delhi has allowed the prosecution of security forces personnel more often than not.
