Youth Killed in Kupwara, Toll Rises to 4

SRINAGAR: A young protester was killed in Kupwara Wednesday when police and paramilitary forces burst teargas shells to disperse a demonstration against the killing of three civilians in the adjoining Handwara town yesterday.

According to reports, the victim, identified as Jahangir Ahmad Wani, was killed after being hit by a teargas shell fired by police and paramilitary forces in Drugmulla village of north Kashmir’s Kupwara on Wednesday.

The fresh killing has taken the death toll to four in less than 24 hours in the frontier district where tensions broke out on Tuesday afternoon after an Army man allegedly molested a girl student inside a public convenience in Handwara town.

The Army has, however, denied the allegation and officially released the video of the girl who purportedly blames a local youth for stirring up tensions. However, a senior police officer said the authenticity of the video has not been confirmed.

In the subsequent protests that broke out in Handwara, three civilians, including a woman, were killed when Army opened fire on demonstrators who torched the forces’ installation in the main square.

Protests have been going on in different parts of north Kashmir including Kupwara, Handwara, Langate and other places against the killing with J&K government imposing curfew-like restrictions in several parts of the Valley, including the summer capital Srinagar.

The Hurriyat has called for a shutdown in the state today against the killings.

Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, who is the national capital, met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and raised the issue with the defence minister Manohar Parrikar who has promised against the culprits.

Meanwhile, an assistant sub-inspector posted in Kupwara was suspended by J&K police. Mohammad Rafiq was placed under suspension, “He has been placed under suspension because of personal complaints against him,” a senior police officer said.

However, reports in a local newspaper, quoting the order, said Rafiq was suspended due to “negligence of duty”.

(Photograph Basit Zargar)