A civilian protesting against nocturnal raids was killed and two others injured in alleged police firing in Palhalan Village of North Kashmir on Monday. Normal life went out of gear in Valley to commemorate the second death anniversary of Muhammad Afzal Guru, who was hanged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013.
Police have described the incident as “highly regrettable and unfortunate”. Separatist Hurriyat Conference has called for Valley-wide shutdown on Tuesday. A day after, another shutdown has been called on the death anniversary of Maqbool Bhat who was executed in Tihar Jail on February 11, 1984.
Sources said that police had raided several houses during the preceding night in Palhalan Village and allegedly manhandled several residents including women. Police were looking for a youngster involved in the stone-pelting incidents. This sparked protest as people came on roads.
Sources said that four protesters, a police constable and a CRPF jawan were injured. One of the injured civilians Farooq Ahmad later succumbed to his injuries. “Police have taken cognizance of this highly regrettable and unfortunate incident. FIR has been registered. The incident is being investigated and all concerned are being questioned”, a police spokesman said.
The incident took place when entire Kashmir Valley observed shutdown to commemorate the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. The authorities imposed curfew-like-restrictions in Old Srinagar city and other major towns to maintain the law and order situation. Most of the shops and business establishments remained closed. Many separatist leaders had been detained or put under the house-arrest.
Meanwhile, Afzal Guru’s widow Tabassum regretted that separatist leaders failed to arrange legal aid for Guru that could have saved his life. She complained that senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani arranged good lawyer for SAR Geelani but did not do so for Guru though both of them were Kashmiris.
“I have a great regard for Syed Ali Geelani as he is our leader but unfortunately he showed no interest in arranging a good lawyer for my husband. Both Afzal and SAR Geealni were Kashmiris, but Geelani Sahab had arranged a reputed lawyer for SAR, ignoring Afzal,” Tabassum said.