Tension gripped Kashmir Valley on Sunday after Army soldiers allegedly killed two persons in north Kashmir’s Sumbal pocket, triggering massive protests. The police have registered a case against the army, while the Army described the deaths as “unfortunate” and ordered “proper and appropriate” inquiry.
Both factions of separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) have called for a shutdown in Kashmir on Monday to protest against the killings. The mainstream leaders, including former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, JKPCC President and MP Saifuddin Soz and Higher Education Minister Akbar lone, have condemned the killings at the hands of troops.
The situation turned ugly in the wee hours of Sunday when army vehicles entered Markundal village near Sumbal township of north Kashmir’s Bandipore district at around 3 am. locals said that misjudging the unusual predawn patrolling of soldiers in the
village as activity of anti-social elements, they raised an alarm. This panicked the soldiers and one of them hit a youngster 18-year old Irfan Ahmad Ganai with a rifle butt in front of a cowshed. They also fired bullets in his head and leg. Ganai died instantly.
locals said that incidents of cattle theft had taken place in the area during past several months. The unusual movement in the village was misjudged as another attempt by the cattle thieves.
“My son went near the cowshed to catch thieves, but the soldiers hit him with rifle and then killed him with bullets,” said Ghulam Nabi Ganai, father of the slain youngster.
“He (Irfan) died on the spot, his brain matter was out”, he said. After Ganai’s death, villagers poured on streets to stage protests. The troops tried to force the villagers to disperse but they swelled in number and intensified protests, eyewitnesses said. This made the troops painc and they opened fire again at around 9 am, killing another youngster Irshad Ahmad Dar, aged 25.
General Officer Commanding of Awantipora based Victor Force, a counter-insurgency division of the army, Maj Gen RR Nimbor told reporters that the deaths were unfortunate and an inquiry has been ordered. He said that a joint team of police and Rashtriya Rifles had gone to Markandal village following tip-off about the presence of militants there.
“During the operation, two youth died unfortunately. We have ordered investigation and whosoever found guilty would be punished properly and appropriately”, Shyam Vig, defence spokesman quoted the GOC as saying.
“The GOC also expressed sympathy with the families of the deceased youth”, Vig said. Meanwhile, both factions of Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq condemned the killings and asked the people to observe shutdown on Monday. “It is the worst example of State terrorism,” Geelani said.
Expressing serious concern over the killing of youth at Sumbal, the Mirwaiz alleged that Kashmiris were being targeted in a planned manner through ‘state terrorism’. He warned that the policy of ‘State terrorism and atrocities’ will have serious and dangerous consequences.
“There has been no improvement in the situation in Kashmir and such incidents actually portray the real situation of Kashmir. The disputed nature of Kashmir should be recognised by all especially those who term it as an internal matter of India,” the Mirwaiz added.
Former Chief Minister and peoples Democratic patry patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed said that Army’s firing in Sumbal was unwarranted and reflected how deeply the culture of impunity had become entrenched in the state. Mufti regretted that such barbaric incidents seemed unstoppable for the present dispensation. “It is now becoming increasingly clear that the State Government has lost all control on the situation,” Mufti said.
“I express my deepest anguish at the very sad happening at Sumbal, Kashmir, in which two people got killed in Army firing. I condemn the firing which caused these deaths,” JKPCC president Saifuddin Soz said in a statement. “The Army should institute a high-level enquiry and bring the persons responsible for this tragic and unfortunate event, to book,” Soz added.