Three youngsters, including a 16-year-old girl, were killed when the Army allegedly resorted to firing upon a group of protesters at Hawoora village in south Kashmir’s Kulgam on Saturday afternoon.
Reports said an Army patrolling party came under stone pelting by a huge mob near Hawoora Redwani area. The Army personnel retaliated in which at least six youngsters sustained firearm injuries. later, three critically injured youths, including a teenage girl, succumbed. Other two slain youths are in the age group of 20 to 22 years.
“An Area Domination Patrol (ADP) of the Army while moving in general area Hawoora, Kulgam came under heavy stone pelting. As the ADP tried to extricate, they were chased by an aggressive and menacing crowd of 400-500 persons which kept building up and coming dangerously close,” said Srinagar-based Defence PRO Col Rajesh Kalia in a statement.
Governor NN Vohra summoned a top-level meeting at Raj Bhawan against the backdrop of the killings and received briefing from the security authorities. Northern Army Commander was specially called to take part in the meeting.
Expressing deep anguish on the loss of civilian lives, the Governor reiterated the vital importance of the laid down Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) being most strictly adhered to by the Army and all security forces to avoid incidents of civilian casualties and collateral damages, even in situations of extreme provocation.
Two grievously injured youngsters have been shifted to Srinagar for treatment.
The deceased have been identified as Shakir Ahmad Khanday (22), Irshad Ahmad (20) and girl Andleeb (16), all residents of Hawoora village.
local sources quoting eyewitnesses said the Army personnel opened fire after local youths pelted stones upon them. locals alleged that the Army personnel vandalised some shops and residential property following stone pelting.
There was no immediate report of any injury to the Army personnel in the incident.
The situation in the area and adjacent places was reported tense.
At Raj Bhawan, Governor Vohra was briefed by the heads of all security forces on issues relating to security management and the arrangements made for the safe conduct of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra.
Besides the Northern Army Commander, the meeting was attended by the three Advisers to the Governor, police chief, Principal Secretary Home; Srinagar-based Army Corps commander, CRPF, BSF chiefs, heads of intelligence wings, divisional administration and other senior officials.
In a statement, police said an Army patrol in district Kulgam while moving through Hawoora Mishipora area was “pelted by miscreants” and consequently the Army tried to disperse the miscreants and in the process five individuals sustained injuries.” The injured persons were evacuated to nearby hospital. However, later three persons succumbed to the injuries, including a girl, while the other two individuals are stated to be stable,” the spokesman said.
“Troops while exercising extreme restraint, cautioned the stone pelters, who, however, failed to relent and repeatedly threw petrol bombs and stones at the patrolling party,” Defence PRO Col Rajesh Kalia said.
“At one point of time, some unidentified terrorists also fired on the column. This resulted in some soldiers receiving grievous injuries. In response to this grave provocation and to ensure the security of own troops, controlled firing was resorted to by the Army which resulted in an unfortunate loss of human lives,” he said.
“The matter is being investigated to ascertain facts on the ground,” Col Kalia said.
In another incident, a civilian and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan were injured in a grenade attack by unidentified ultras on CRPF patrol in Hyderpora area of Srinagar city this afternoon.
Security sources said a hand grenade was lobbed at a CRPF party near flyover in Hyderpora, leaving CRPF jawan injured. A civilian also sustained splinter injuries in his leg. The injured were shifted to the hospital for treatment. They said that forces launched manhunt to nab the attackers.
Meanwhile, the normal life remained affected across Kashmir Valley in response to the shutdown called by Joint Resistance leadership (JRl) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik against the shifting of prominent woman separatist leader Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief Aasiya Andrabi and her two associates Fahmeeda Sofi and Nahida Nasreen, to Delhi by National Investigation Agency (NIA). The trio have been shifted to Delhi’s Tihar Jail.
Curfew-like restrictions under Section 144 remained imposed in the downtown and areas falling under two police stations in the civil lines since early morning on Saturday. Heavy deployment of security forces has been made in all the sensitive areas in Srinagar and south Kashmir region to maintain law and order.
Shops, business establishments and private offices remained closed and public transport is off the roads in Srinagar. Scanty private transport, including vehicles, cabs and three-wheelers, could be seen plying on the outskirts and some routes in Srinagar. All educational institutions and fuel stations are also closed. Tourists were seen visiting Mughal gardens on the city outskirts.
Similar reports of disruption in normal life were received from other district headquarters.
Geelani and Mirwaiz continue to remain under house arrest while Malik has been put under preventive detention at a local police station in Srinagar.
The authorities have snapped high-speed mobile internet across the Valley.
Earlier, curfew was imposed in Tral subdivision of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district ahead of second anniversary of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Tral is the native place of Wani whose killing triggered mass uprising in 2016 that led to the killing of over 100 civilian youths and thousands were injured. Hundreds of youngsters were partially or fully blinded with pellets across the Valley.
Security agencies fear biggest gathering on Burhan’s anniversary at his Eidgah Graveyard in Tral.
The train services from Banihal in Jammu region upto Baramulla in North Kashmir remained suspended as a precautionary measure. The mobile internet services have been snapped in south Kashmir region.
The mainstream political parties, independent legislators, some separatist leaders and Kashmir’s business alliance have condemned and expressed grief over the killing of three civilian youths at the hands of Army personnel during clashes, at Hawoora Redwani area in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah have expressed shock and grief over the loss of civilian lives in Kulgam.
Condemning the killings and expressing shock and grief, State Pradesh Congress Committee vice president and MlC GN Monga said such killings alienate people of Kashmir further and could worsen situation further.
CPI (M) leader and MlA Kulgam, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami said, “Such reckless killings have potential to deteriorate the already worsened situation further in the State.” He questioned, “Is the blood of Kashmiris so cheap and are Kashmiris so expendableIJ
Awami Ittehad Party president and independent legislator Er Rasheed alleged that killings have exposed the “intentions of security forces and that of the Governor’s administration.”
In a statement, Er Rasheed appealed Delhi to introspect and revisit its aggressive policies and realise that all the policies of controlling Kashmiris with the barrel of a gun have miserably failed during past thirty years. He said, “Unless Delhi doesn’t fulfil its responsibilities towards Kashmir dispute, the situation will continue to be as it is and we will go on losing precious human lives.”
President of Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) and Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) Haji Muhammad Yasin Khan said no civilised nation can accept the killings of the civilians. He said, “Killing unarmed civilians is against the ethics of humanity or has New Delhi declared war against such civilian.”
Chairman of separatist Ummat e Islami and Mirwaiz south Kashmir, Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir alleged that “security forces have grown blood hungry for the dead bodies of Kashmiris.”