The death toll in the ongoing violence in Kashmir Valley went up to 32 on Tuesday, as a Delhi University student died of bullet wounds suffered on Monday and a protester was killed in an attack on a police station.
Nazir Latoo, studying for an M.Com degree in Delhi, was home on vacation when he was hit by bullets during clashes on Monday in south Kashmir’s Bijbehara town. He died on Tuesday.
A police spokesman said one protester died in Kralpora area of Kupwara district in north Kashmir when a mob attacked a police station.
“A police vehicle was also set on fire, with policemen trapped inside. While we dealt with the incident, one person was injured, who later succumbed to his injuries,” said the spokesman. Around 1,365 have been injured in the violence so far.
According to police, violent clashes were reported from 23 places in north and south Kashmir, including Tral, which is the hometown of the slain Burhan Wani. Scores of teargas shells were lobbed to quell the protests.
With the situation escalating, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Minister and government spokesman Naeem Akhtar said, “We are satisfied with the support offered by the Centre in controlling the situation in J&K but, in the long term, the process of engagement with all stakeholders has to take off to pull the State out of the current situation.”
Militant outfit Hizbul Mujhadeen, meawhile, has appointed Mehmood Ghaznavi as its new chief for Kashmir. According to a Hizbul statement circulated in Srinagar, Ghaznavi will take control of the organisation after the death of Burhan Wani. “The decision was taken in Hizbul command council, presided over by outfit chief Syed Salahuddin,” the statement read.
Mirwaiz writes to U.N.Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chairman of one of the Hurriyat factions, has written to the United Nations Secretary General Ban-ki Moon and sought his intervention in the Kashmir situation.
“It is clear that bullets have not been fired with the intention to disperse protesters. Had it been so then the shots would be aimed at the legs to injure and not to kill. The bullets were obviously shot with the intention to kill,” wrote the Mirwaiz in the letter. The Mirwaiz alleged there was an attempt “to eliminate the young generation of Kashmiris so as to make the majority population of Kashmir demographically vulnerable.”
“I urge your Excellency to intervene effectively to address the situation and play the role expected from the high office of yours to take the measures to resolve the long pending issue on the UN agenda, the issue of Kashmir which has remained and continues to remain main threat to the peace, stability, prosperity and respect for human as well as civil rights in the entire south Asian region,” the Mirwaiz said.
