Protesters resorted to stone-pelting and marched for blocking National Highway bypass in Nowgam pocket of capital Srinagar to exhibit resentment against the killing of two youngsters at the hands of Rashtriya Rifles troops on Monday evening. Even as Army has regretted the deaths and initiated probe into the incident, a widespread resentment is galore in the Valley.
Separatist groups have called for shutdown against the killings on Wednesday. The authorities have decided to impose curfew-like restrictions in six police station areas in old Srinagar and in Nowgam where the incident took place.The RR troops opened fire on a white car on Monday evening and shot dead two youngsters and wounded two others at Chattergam village on Srinagar Pulwama road. The car-borne youths were returning home after watching a mourning procession of Shiite Muslims in a nearby locality.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that he spoke to Defence Minister Arun Jaitley regarding the incident. Describing them as “avoidable deaths” he said that they have served to vitiate the poll atmosphere already strained by the post-flood reconstruction challenge that people are facing.“Such killings have no place in an otherwise improving security environment where militancy incidents are at record low levels. These deaths have served to vitiate the poll atmosphere already strained by the post flood reconstruction challenge that people face,” Abdullah tweeted on Tuesday in his first reaction to the deaths.
Hundreds of protesters engaged police and paramilitaries in Nowgam Chowk in the city outskirts after the slain youth were laid to rest in local graveyard. Two wounded youngsters have been shifted to Army’s Base Hospital where they are reported to be stable.The Army said that it has initiated investigation into the incident with “unprecedented speed”. “Overnight, the personnel alleged to be involved in the incident were moved to the location of the enquiry. The Deputy Commander of a neighboring RR Sector conducting the enquiry has been tasked to complete the investigations at the earliest. The GOC XV Corps has assured that justice will be done”, a defence spokesman said.
The spokesman said that the condition of two injured persons, Zahid Naqash and Shakir Ahmad Bhat, is stable. “Their families were brought to the hospital where arrangements were made for their stay enabling them to stay close to the patient”, the spokesman said adding families of the deceased would be given assistance.
Deputy Commissioner Budgam Manzoor Ahmad lone has submitted initial report to the Government. The report says that the car was asked to stop by the Army personnel but it skidded and hit a roadside pole. A detachment of the naka party fired upon the vehicle causing casualties.Meanwhile, the authorities have decided to impose curfew in six police station areas of Khanyar, Nowhatta, Mahraj Gunj, Rainawari, Safakadal and Nowgam in Srinagar city on Wednesday.The separatist groups have called for shutdown against the killings on Wednesday.