Back-to-back teen killings have Srinagar on the edge

Even before the dust could settle on the killing of a schoolboy in the old city, another teenager was killed at Kralisangri-Brain near Nishat, 12 km from Srinagar, on Friday, leading to violent protests in the Jammu and Kashmir capital.

Police said Zahid Farooq Shah, 17, was shot at when he was watching cricket. He was first rushed to SMHS Hospital and later to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences for specialised treatment where doctors declared him dead.

Locals blamed the CRPF. They said some vehicles of the central force were passing through the area when the incident took place.
The CRPF denied the charge. “None of our jawans opened fire. CRPF was neither deployed nor patrolling the area at the time of the incident,” P Tripathi, spokesman for the force, said.

As news spread, protesters took to the streets, raising slogans against police and pelting stones. As Zahid’s body was handed over to his family, a large number of people came out of their houses and joined the protests demanding stern action against the “erring” personnel.

Additional forces have been deployed to prevent the situation from escalating.

On Sunday, class VII student Wamik Farooq, 13, was killed after being hit by a tear gas shell fired by police at Rajouri Kadal, triggering a wave of protests.

Senior superintendent of police (Srinagar) Riyaz Bedar said, “The unfortunate killing of the boy is a mystery. We have registered a case to identify the culprits.”

Quoting eyewitnesses, he said some boys were sitting by the roadside when an unidentified security vehicle came and fired at them.

Chief minister Omar Abdullah has ordered a probe into the incident.

Meanwhile, militants upped the ante, opening indiscriminate firing on a police party soon after Friday prayers in Main Chowk Sopore. A head constable and a civilian were killed in the attack, while another civilian was injured.

Deputy inspector general of police (North Kashmir range) Abdul Qayoom Manhas said around 2.30 pm, militants surfaced from a lane and opened fire on police. “The mosque is a 10-minute walk from the site of the incident,” he said.

Security forces have rushed reinforcements and cordoned off the area to flush out the militants. “We have launched a search operation. The situation is peaceful and under control,” Manhas said.

The incidents occurred even as the undeclared curfew in the old city entered its second day on Friday. People’s movement was restricted, but there was sporadic stone-pelting in Maisuma.
Authorities also issued a gag order to local cable TV channels asking them not to air “provocative” footage that could fuel more violence in Srinagar.