SRINAGAR: Kashmir’s Octogenarian leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has apologised to the family of a young man who died late on Monday after he was hit by a stone during protests in south Kashmir.
But he has justified throwing of stones by youth during protest demonstrations.
“The act is against humanity and human values and I express my apology from the bottom of my heart to the bereaved family. No innocent person should be targeted by anyone as it goes against human and Islamic values,” Geelani told a local news agency KNS.
Riyaz Ahmad Khanday, 23, an auto-rickshaw (scooter taxi) driver was reportedly attacked by stone pelters in south Kashmir Mattan town for driving it during a shutdown.
He died in Srinagar’s Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Soura.
Police have arrested four people in this regard.
Geelani, who heads the hardline faction of separatist alliance Hurriyat Conference, has defended youth for pelting the police and paramilitaries with rocks during protests.
“People are not being allowed to protest peacefully. When force is used on peaceful protestors, it becomes a compulsion for them to throw stones in self defense and register protest,” he said.
But he asked the youth to maintain discipline. “We cannot and should not forget human values. Thousands have shed their blood for the ongoing struggle and we must maintain sanctity of their sacrifices. If the enemy and the forces are resorting to inhuman attitude and committing atrocities, we cannot stoop to their level,” he said.
“Youth should not threaten people from any walk of life,” he said.
