Civilian Killing Sparks Shutdown and Clashes in South Kashmir

Srinagar, June 7: Several parts of Kashmir Valley particularly in South observed a shutdown on Wednesday against the killing of Class 12th student Adil Farooq Magray in Indian Forces firing at Ganowpora village of Shopian district on Tuesday evening.
Reports said all the shops and business establishments remained closed while transport remained off the roads in South Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian districts. Spontaneous shutdown was also observed in restive Tral town while amid shutdown clashes erupted in saffron town Pampore on Wednesday morning.
Reports said that in wake of civilian killing authorities suspended calss work in all the schools and colleges in Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam district.
Reports from Kulgam district said that a partial shutdown was observed in the district.
Large contingent of police and Para-military troopers had been deployed in major parts of South Kashmir. Police used tear-smoke shells to disperse protesters at Muran Chowk, Newa and Rajpora Chowk of Pulwama district. Protesters who hit to roads against the civilian killing raised pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. They also pelted stones on the deployed forces while in retaliation government forces lobbed tear-smoke shells.
Reports from saffron town Pampore said that scores of students took to streets and pelted stones on government forces in Namblabal and Khrew Chowk. In order to dissipate the protesting students, government forces fired tear-gas shells.
Witnesses said that the students of Government Boys Higher Secondary School Pampore and Government Girls Higher Secondary School Pampore staged a protest on Srinagar-Jammu highway at Namlabal Pampore against the killing of Adil Farooq.
Witnesses said that government forces resorted to tear smoke shelling and pellet firing to disperse the protesters, triggering massive clashes.
Several girl students were allegedly thrashed by the forces, they said. Officials at Sub-district hospital Pampore said that fifteen students were brought to the facility.
A police official said that students of IUST Awantipora and students of Higher Secondary School Pampore both girls and boys protested and indulged in stone pelting on the forces. They also blocked National Highway. In order to maintain peace and tranquility security forces deployed in the area dispersed them with maximum restrain.”
“Large number of Police personnel received injuries due to heavy stone pelting by the students in Namblabal Pampore and University Road Awantipora. The situation was brought under control and the Highway was kept through for vehicular movement.”
Meanwhile, thousands of people participated in the last rites of Adil Farooq Magray. Massive pro-freedom and anti-India protests were held before and after the funeral prayers of Adil at his native Ganawpora village. Men, women and children participated in the protests.
Adil, a college student, was hit by a bullet in his chest after forces opened fire to disperse protesters who were trying to disrupt an anti-militant operation in the village.
Three rounds of funeral prayers were held due to a massive rush of mourners who marched to the village from several areas of south Kashmir. Emotional scenes were witnessed during Adil’s last rites with women wailing and beating their chests. (CNS)