Protestors at Geelani march throw stones, kill civilian

A 40-year-old man died on Friday after supporters of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani stoned a vehicle in which he was travelling.

The protesters, shouting anti-India slogans, were taking out a march to the headquarters of the United Nations Military Observer’s Group in Srinagar.

Eyewitness said Shafiq Ahmad Sheikh of Natipora was on his way to his office at 8.30 am when stone-pelters surfaced near Batamaloo and started pelting stones on the vehicle to enforce the bandh. “A stone pierced broke the glass window and hit Sheikh’s head. We rushed him to SMHS hospital but doctors referred him to another hospital for specialised treatment,” said Abid Hussain, the driver of the minibus. Sheikh died on the way to the other hospital.

A post-mortem was conducted, and a case of murder under Section 302 of Ranbir Penal Code has registered at Batamaloo police station. “We are looking at the CCTV footage to identify the attackers,” a police officer said.
Violent protests rocked Natipora and adjacent areas when news of Sheikh’s killing reach his locality. Hundreds of people took to streets and clashed with the police, which lobbed smoke shells to quell protests. Later, thousands joined in Sheikh’s funeral procession at Natipora.

This is second incident when stone-throwers have killed the innocent people. On February 22, an ailing 11-day-old boy was killed and his four-year-old brother injured after a group of stone-throwers attacked their vehicle when they were on way to hospital in Baramulla.

Sheikh’s killing evoked a sharp reaction from chief minister Omar Abdullah. “This is a result of Friday’s protest call. The separatists want stone-pelters to engage security forces so that there is some reaction and they would capitalise on that,” Omar said.

Earlier, police lobbed teargas shells to foil the march called by Geelani in Amira Kadal after the Friday prayers.   

 — With agency inputs