Srinagar, 4 Nov: With the killing of two innocent youth at Chattergam Budgam at the hands of Indian Army soldiers, the total number of youth killed so far in Government Forces firing has gone up to six this year. Besides, these killings, 17 civilians were killed this year by unidentified gun men all across Kashmir.
In March this year, a youth Farhat Ahmed Dar son of Ghulam Muhammad of Shahgund became the first civilian causality when he was killed in Government Forces firing at Naidkhai Sumbal area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district shortly after Friday protests. His death led to wide spread protest in Kashmir while Naidkhai remained shut for more than a week.
In April, another youth Bashir Ahmed Bhat of Gratabal Nawakadal area of Srinagar city was killed after Government Forces opened fire on a group of youth staging anti-poll demonstration.
In June a post encounter protest claimed the life of a youth Arshad Ahmed Shah resident of Naseem Bagh Sopore after government forces fired upon protestors.
Next month in July, according to news agency, a minor Suhail Ahmed Lone was killed in CRPF firing at Khudwani Kulgam during anti-Israel protest. The number of innocent killings gone up to six when Faisal Ahmed Bhat and Mehraj-u-Din Dar were gunned down by Indian Army troopers at Chattergam.
According to news agency, unidentified gunmen butchered 17 civilians all across Kashmir this year. Most the them were either political workers or students.
In March an octogenarian Ghulam Muhammad Dar was shot dead by unidentified persons in his native village of Dogripora in Awantipora Town while in February masked men shot dead a 25-year-old PG Islamiyat student Wasim Mehraj Malla from Bagh-e-Islam Kraakshun Colony in north Kashmir’s Sopore town.
Five civilians were killed in the month of April this year. Unidentified gunmen shot dead a PDP Sarpanch Muhammad Amin Pandith at his residence Gulzarpora Awantipora, while the unknown gun men struck in Tral area of the Pulwama district and killed a Sarpanch Ghulam Nabi Mir, his son Firdous Ahmed at Batigund Tral and also shot at Numberdar of Amlar village Muhammad Anwar Sheikh outside his residence. In the same month, a Polling official Zai-ul-Haq resident of Hurpora Shopian was killed when unknown gunmen resorted to indiscriminate firing on the vehicle ferrying polling staff.
In May, National Conference Sarpanch from Wanpoh Anantnag Gul Muhammad was shot dead by unidentified persons. In the same month unidentified gunmen shot dead an undergraduate student Abid Akbar Wani (20) of Krankshivan colony in north Kashmir’s Sopore town. Again at the end of the same month unknown gunmen killed 28 years old shopkeeper Naseer Yousuf Mir resident of Guglora Pinjora area of Shopian district.
Unknown gunmen killed threepersons in the month of June.
They shot dead Munawar Zaman Malik son of Muhmmad Mansoor in Arwani village of Bijbehara area of South Kashmir. Again they shot dead a Congress worker Nazir Naikoo and his cousin Shabir Ahmad Naikoo, at Seelo Sopore.
Unidentified gunmen shot dead Gowhar Matoo resident of Gajwani Kulgam in Khudwani area of Kulgam town in July. In August they shot dead a private security guard Nazir Ahmed resident of Maindanpora Lolab outside SMHS hospital in Srinagar and in the same month a civilian Manzoor Qasab died in a militant attack near Galandar Pampore.
Amid flood fury, unknown gunmen killed a trader Latif Ahmed Gupkari at Khawja Bazar Srinagar in the month of September. (CNS)
