A 21-year-old civilian was killed when the police opened fire at splinter groups for allegedly attacking them on Friday evening.
At 6 p.m., after congregational prayers, a large group gathered for a protest demonstration at Nayidkhai village in Sumbal, North Kashmir.
Some people attacked a police vehicle when the paramilitary deployment was being withdrawn. The protesters, mostly youngsters, engaged the police in clashes for several hours. In the police firing, Farhat Ahmad Dar (21), a tractor driver of Shah Gund, was critically injured. He died while being taken to the Sub-District Hospital at Pattan.
Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir, Abdul Gani Mir, told The Hindu that groups of people gathered for a demonstration for no particular reason.
When a police vehicle pulled up due to a mechanical fault, crowds rushed towards it and attempted to assault policemen with stones. They went on to set the vehicle on fire.
The clashes occurred in the village of the senior National Conference leader and Minister of Higher Education, Mohammad Akbar Lone. Following the youth’s death, over 5,000 men and women protesters planned to carry the body in a procession to his village for funeral. The protesters reportedly shouted pro-Azadi, pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans.
Later, violent youths set a passenger shed on fire and were involved in fresh encounters with the police and CRPF officers. “The situation is tense, but under control. We are weighing the option of imposing curfew in case the situation deteriorates,” said an official.
Deputy Commissioner of Bandipore district Shah Faesal said a magisterial inquiry had been ordered into the incident.
The Additional Deputy Commissioner will conduct the probe.
He said clashes with the police and paramilitary forces had become common in Nayidkhai and some other villages of Hajjan.
