Clashes broke out between civilians and security personnel in Srinagar on Wednesday after six commuters were killed in a road accident involving an Army truck and a civilian vehicle in the outskirts of the Jammu and Kashmir capital.
Official sources told The Hindu that an Army recovery truck had collided head on with a Tavera on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road near the Hokersar wetland reserve, about 10 km from Srinagar. According to witnesses, the deaths were caused by electrocution as livewires fell on the Tavera after the vehicles hit an electric pole after the collision. While four of the victims died on the spot, two others succumbed to injuries at hospital.
Five of the victims were identified as Mohammad Rafeeq Untoo of Dugliteng Baramulla, Ghulam Nabi Dar of Krankshivan Colony Sopore, the Tavera’s driver Ghulam Hassan Bhat of Dangarpora Baramulla, Naseer Ahmad Mir of Mohalla Momkak Sopore and Pir Mohammad Sayeed of Mohalla Ashpir Sopore. Sources said that two more passengers with critical injuries were battling for life at hospital.
Minutes after the accident, a large crowd of the civilians gathered at the spot. While alleging that the Army driver had hit the Tavera “in rage”, they shouted slogans against the Army and resorted to intense stone-pelting. The Army fired in air but the crowds dispersed only after a police party reached the spot and used baton charge and tear gas. Some of the residents, claiming to be the eyewitnesses, said that two or three people died in the Army’s firing. However, officials maintained that all the six died in the accident. They insisted that none of the dead or injured had gunshot wounds.
FIR filed A police spokesman said: “An FIR has been registered at the Parimpora Police Station and investigation into the matter has been taken up. The vehicle has been seized and the driver of the Army vehicle has been arrested.”
