Army fires bullets on protest rally in NutnusaKupwara, killing a student, injuring 3 others; more clashes leave 3 injured, 2 critical
Day after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti asked forces to observe Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) while dealing with law and order problems, a teenage student was killed and three others injured when army opened fire on a protest rally in Nutnusa area of Kupwara district on Friday. The people in the rally were protesting against the killing of four persons in army firing earlier this week in Handwara.
The deceased was identified as ArifHussain Dar (18) son of GhulamMohidin, resident of AwooraTrehgam, Kupwara. Arif was a student of class 11 and was staying with his maternal uncle at Nutnusa.
The injured were identified as Faisal Ahmad Lone (30) son of Ghulam Muhammad of Gulgam, Wajid Ahmad Lone (21) son of Fayaz Ahmad and Javid Ahmad Mochi (17) son of Muhammad Sultan of BramriKupwara. Faisal is the Imam of a local mosque in Nutnusa while Wajid and Javid are students.
“Our hospital received four persons with bullet injuries,” Block Medical Officer (BMO) Kupwara, DrFareed Ahmad, told Greater Kashmir Friday evening. “One Arif succumbed among the injured. Three others have been referred to Srinagar.”
The doctor said that Arif had received bullets in legs. “One of the reasons of his death is blood loss,” DrFareed said. “One among the injured has received bullet in head.”
Reports said soldiers of 47 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) stationed at Nutnusa on Srinagar-Kupwara highway opened fire on the protest rally.
People in hundreds had assembled after Friday prayers on the highway and were demonstrating against Handwara killings.
Nutnusa RR camp is meant to protect a Pandit Colony located meters away from the Army installation.
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT:
Eyewitness said that protestors were chanting anti-Army and anti-establishment slogans and were denouncing Handwara killings. “About a dozen Army soldiers came out of the camp and opened fire on us,” Mooen Ahmad, who was part of the protests, told Greater Kashmir. “We did not pelt stones on any one. No traffic was plying on the highway. We were only chanting slogans against the killers.”
“Injured were lying on the highway and were crying for help,” he said adding that for at least 25 minutes nobody removed the injured to hospital as Army men continued firing for 10 minutes.
Witnesses said that a police party from nearby naka arrived at the spot, however they too did not remove the injured. “They went back after seeing the injured,” another witness, Khurshid Ahmad, said adding that later another police party shifted the injured in an auto-rickshaw to District Hospital Kupwara.
MASSIVE PROTESTS:
Soon after the incident massive protests rocked the area. Police burst dozens of teargas smoke shells to disperse the protestors. Protestors tried to storm the army camp, however police foiled the bid.
The incident triggered massive protests in Kupwara town and police burst dozens of tear smoke shells on the protestors. Three persons were injured and two among them were shifted to Srinagar. The injured were identified as Showkat Ahmad Ganie son of Abdul Jabber of Kalaroos, Sajad Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Ahmad of Kunanposhpora and Ajazaj Ahmad Wani son of Wali Muhammad of Kupwara.
Doctors at District Hospital Kupwara said that Showkat, a salesman by profession, has received tear smoke shell in head while Sajad, a fruit vendor, has received fire-arm injury in both legs. “Both have been referred to Srinagar,” doctors said.
The protests against Handwara killings erupted at most places in Kupwara on Friday. However, protests escalated after the fresh killing by Army in Nutnusa. Reports said that protests erupted in Kupwara town, Lolab, Tehgam, Kralpora and several other places.
Earlier on Friday morning, groups of youth defied curfew in Handwara town and clashed with police and CRPF. Around a dozen persons were injured. In Handwara town no Friday prayers were offered because of curfew. Protests were also held in Magam, Vilgam, Kulangam and scores of other places.
POLICE VERSION:
“There were massive violent protests in Handwara and Kupwara areas today. The mobs attacked the police and security force establishments and deployments. More than 40 policemen and security force men were injured. Despite severe provocations the deployment on ground exercised maximum restraint. However at one place Natnusa in Kupwara the mob tried to enter the forces camp and the Army had to resort to firing in which one person lost his life. The incidents of stone pelting were reported from Mir Mohalla, HyhamaChowk, Kralpora in Kupwara, Kralgund, Magam in Handwara and Cement Bridge Baramulla as well. We appeal the public to maintain calm, not resort to violence and not attack security force and police establishments,” a police spokesman said in the evening.
Army said it was ‘forced to open controlled fire.’ PRO Defence Col NN Joshi told KNS: “Army exercised maximum restraint in spite of stone pelting by a large crowd. Only when the mob stormed the army post, army was forced to open controlled fire in which some miscreants were injured.”
