The five-day calm in the Kashmir Valley was broken on Monday, when a 10-year-old boy was killed in police firing on a stone-throwing mob in Anantnag. Eight others suffered injuries and the condition of one of them is critical. The incident evoked protests in the area.
A police spokesman said here: “A huge mob pelted stones on the Sherbagh police post. The police used tear smoke shells to disperse the stone throwers. Constable Nazir Ahmad was injured. However, the protesters did not relent and the police fired rubber pellets in self-defence. Ten-year-old Irshad Ahmad Parray of Old Iddgah Janglat Mandi got injured. He was declared brought dead at the Sheri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital in Srinagar.”
Firing on youth
Earlier, the police opened fire on a group of youth in the Maisuma locality of Srinagar. Seven persons were injured and admitted to hospital, where the condition of Yasir Ahmad Sheikh is stated to be critical. Yasir is the nephew of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik. “He is in the Intensive Care Unit,” Mr. Malik told The Hindu.
Residents said the youth were playing carom and there was no provocation for the firing. Senior Superintendent of Police Aashiq Hussain Bukhari said an erring policeman “has been suspended and arrested.”
An inquiry was initiated and the guilty would be punished as per law.
