Protests broke out in north Kashmir’s Sumbal area on Friday evening following the death of a 20-year-old man allegedly shot by anti-riot police. The deceased youngster was among a group of protesters, panicked on the worsening health condition of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani who is undergoing treatment in New Delhi.
The protests erupted in the area after Friday congregational prayers. Sources said that Indian Reserve Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel fired teargas shells and bullets on protesters to disperse them.
The clashes between protesters and paramilitaries continued through the evening when police allegedly opened fire. Sources said that 20-year-old Farhat Ahmad Dar was hit on the right side of his chest resulting to his instant death. Two other youngsters have been wounded in the firing. They were shifted to capital Srinagar for treatment.
Rumours about Geelani’s death panicked his followers on March 12 when some social networking sites carried the unsubstantiated news. Geelani’s condition has deteriorated since March 5 due to respiratory problems.