Post encounter protest claims the life of a youth
Kulgam, Nov 14: Post encounter protests in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district claimed the life of an 18 year old youth on Friday morning. The deceased who has been identified as Tariq Ahmed Bhat son of Muhammad Ismayil Bhat resident of Nawbal Batapora Kulgam.
Eyewitnesses told that soon after the culmination of overnight gun fight, government forces comprising Army soldiers from 1 RR and 18 Battalion CRPF and other men in uniform belonging to different security agencies started to leave the encounter site at Chanpora Chenigam. Eyewitnesses added that government forces came under heavy attack near Kharpora crossing where people assembled in hundreds and amid pro-freedom slogans attacked them and their armoured vehicles with stones. “People from different localities of Kulgam district including Kawdrang, Kujar, Frisal, Shirpora, Arwani, Nawbal Batapora, Mushipora, Khudwani, Reidwani, Havro and other areas had gathered at Kharpora and were staging chanting slogans in favour of slain militants,†an eyewitness told CNS. Witnesses said that to counter the ‘intense’ stone-pelting attack of the protestors, government forces resorted to firing that resulted in the death of Tariq Ahmed Bhat. One more civilian identified as Ashiq Hussain also reportedly received injuries.
The family members of the slain youth alleged that Army soldiers directly fired upon him after they failed to control the protestors. They said that Tariq was not a part of the protest. Reports said that the slain youth was a close relative of one of the deceased militants Muhammad Abbas Malla and was on way to encounter site along with his friends to know about the latest situation about the encounter.
Reports said that as the news of the death of youth spread in the area, hundreds of people came on roads and amid pro-freedom slogans clashed with government forces. Police used tear-smoke shells to disperse the protestors in Chanapora, Chenigam, Kharpora, Nowbal and other adjacent areas. Police according reports also used canisters to disperse angry protestors near Bijbehara town of South Kashmir’s Ananatnag district.
Earlier according to police, government forces managed to kill two local armed militants at Chanapora Chenigam in Kulgam. Police identified these militants as Muhammad Abbas Malla son of Ghulam Mohiuddin resident of Nowpora Frisal and Malik Manzoor son of Muhammad Ramzan resident of Chenigam. Police said that arms and ammunition was also recovered from their possession.
Locals alleged that the government forces razed five buildings to ground while 14 house suffered partial damage. “It was war like situation. The intensity of government forces attack was such that for a moment I felt as it was Kargil war. Even cattle stock became the prey of bullets,†a resident of Dar Mohalla Channapora Muhammad Ismayil Dar whose house was completely destroyed told.
The five houses that were completely destroyed during the encounter belonged to Muhammad Ismayil Dar, Abdul Hamid Dar, Abdul Jabbar Dar, Sanaullah Dar, and Ghulam Hasan Dar. The houses which suffered partial damage belonged to Muhammad Shaban Dar, Ghulam Nabi Dar, Ghulam Rasool Dar, Muhammad Shafi Dar, Ghulam Muhammad Dar, Shiraz Ahmed Dar, Bashir Ahmed Dar and Muhammad Arif Dar.
A police official said that two Army soldiers and a CRPF personnel was also injured during the encounter. He said that the condition of CRPF man and a army man is stable, however, condition of one Army man is serious.He said that situation in the area was tense but under control. (CNS)
