A twelve-year-old boy succumbed to pellet injuries in Srinagar, sparking fresh clashes between protesters and security forces at various places in Kashmir on Saturday, even as curfew continued in areas under seven police stations of the city.
The ruling PDP demanded a time-bound probe into the death of the boy.
Junaid Akhoon, who was hit by pellets in the head and chest at Saidapora in the Safakadal police station area here on Friday, died at the SKIMS Hospital at Soura late at night, taking the death toll in the three month’s of unrest to 84, a police officer said. While the police said the boy was injured in clashes between protesters and the security forces, the local residents alleged that he was not involved in any protest. Use of force was unprovoked and excessive, which called for a time-bound probe, said the PDP, quoting a deputation of respectable people from Eidgah in the city.
“The PDP has demanded immediate, time-bound probe into Junaid Ahmad Akhoon’s death and desires action against those found guilty,” a party spokesman said in a statement.
As the body of the deceased was handed over to his family for last rites on Saturday morning, a large number of people defied curfew and gathered at his house. They later took out a funeral procession towards Eidgah. However, the procession was stopped by the police near the Eidgah grounds, sparking intense clashes, which spread to different localities and continued intermittently throughout the day, causing injuries to 12 persons, officials said.
A police officer said curfew remained in force under Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Safakadal, Maharaj Gunj, Maisuma and Batamaloo police stations. “Restrictions on assembly of people are in force in the rest of the Kashmir Valley,” he said.
Life remained affected for the 92nd day in Kashmir after the killing of Hizb-ul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in a gunfight with the security forces on July 8.
