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| 2 killed in CRPF firing on mob in Sopore | | CRPF opened fire when mourners of 2 slain militants torched a Gypsy; Curfew imposed | | Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR, Jun 25: Authorities have imposed curfew on Sopore after two civilians got killed and four others sustained gunshot wounds in a mob attack on paramilitary force this evening. Hundreds of residents carrying dead bodies of two militants, who had earlier died in an encounter with security forces, clashed with CRPF in Krankshivan Colony while shouting anti-India slogans, pelting stones and torching a Gypsy. Both factions of the separatist Hurriyat Conference have called for a total shutdown in Kashmir on Saturday and asked people to march to the apple town in a demonstration of solidarity with the bereaved families.
Informed sources in North Kashmir told Early Times that hundreds of people gathered and began shouting anti-India, anti-forces, pro-Azadi and pro-Islam slogans in Krankshivan outskirts of Sopore immediately after a 20-hour-long gunbattle between militants and security forces ended with the death of two militants at 1600 hours today. They formed a funeral procession and carried dead bodies of the slain militants on shoulders towards Chhann Khan bridge. Suddenly there was a clash between some demonstrators and soldiers. Sources said that the demonstrators attacked the CRPF party on duty and also set on fire one Gypsy which was part of the escort of a Commanding Officer.
Thereupon, troops opened fire on the mob. In all, six of the demonstrators sustained gunshot wounds. One of them, namely Shakil Ahmed Ganai S/o Abdul Aziz Ganai R/o Lalad, succumbed to injuries before reaching Sub District Hospital for treatment. Another critically wounded civilian, identified as Firdaus Ahmed Khan S/o Abdul Rashid Khan R/o Ningli, breathed his last when the injured were being rushed to a Srinagar hospital in an ambulance. Officials said that four others were admitted and treated at SMHS Hospital. They said that three of them were stable but one Merajuddin of Tarzoo was battling for life.
Sources said that immediately after the shootout, thousands of residents took to the streets and they staged protest against killing of two civilians in CRPF firing besides killing of two militants in the overnight gunbattle. Reports said that the demonstrators shouted pro-Azadi, pro-Islam and anti-India slogans and resorted to heavy stone pelting on government installations and CRPF camps at several places in the apple town. They also directed an attack on the residence of some Police officers besides Police Station. Hundreds of the angry youth demolished two CRPF bunkers. CRPF soldiers at Iqbal Market opened fire. Reports awaiting official confirmation till late tonight said that two more civilians sustained injuries.
Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, Naseem Lankar, told Early Times late tonight that District Magistrate of Baramulla imposed curfew restrictions as the situation was threatening to go out of hand in the wake of today’s encounter and CRPF shootout coupled by demonstrations in several localities in Sopore. She said that DC Baramulla, Bashir Ahmed Bhat, SP Sopore, Altaf Khan, and other officials were camping in Sopore and making efforts to restore peace.
Today’s shootout in Sopore took places minutes after DG CRPF Vikram Srivastava, Special DG of CRPF for J&K N K Tripathi, IG CRPF Srinagar P V Krishna Reddy and IG Operations (CRPF) Kashmir, Dr N C Asthana, met Governor, N N Vohra, at Raj Bhawan. Official sources said that During 90-minute-long meeting, DG CRPF briefed the Governor about various aspects of the obtaining security situation in the State. The Governor discussed with Mr. Srivastava some of his concerns about the arising security scenario in the State, taking into account both the internal and external influences and factors.
CRPF spokesman, Prabhakar Tripathi, told Early Times over telephone from Patna that CRPF, Army and Sopore Police had launched a joint operation in Krankshivan Colony after receiving specific information regarding presence of two militants at a hideout. He said that one of the militants was eliminated last evening itself but the operation was frozen for the night. According to him, “somebody from a mob” fired upon CRPF when the operation was underway in the afternoon. He claimed that Inspector Rohtas Singh of CRPF 177 Bn sustained gunshot wounds in this firing. Troops observed restraint for fear of possible civilian casualties and concentrated on the hideout. Inspector Singh was rushed to Srinagar and admitted to Army’s 92 Base Hospital.
Tripathi added that after both the militants got killed, another mob assembled and started stone pelting and demonstrations. He said that during the course of these demonstrations, some “masked men” from the crowd opened fire on CRPF Gypsy and deflated its tyre. Same vehicle was later set on fire by the mob. He said that the CRPF men under cordon of the mob opened fire in self defence in which two persons got killed. He said that he had immediately no knowledge as to how many civilians had got injured in the shootout.
Reports from Sopore said that amid intermittent clashes with Police and CRPF, besides announcements from public address system of local mosques by the residents, authorities imposed curfew and deployed several companies of CRPF and Army to tackle the law and order situation. These reports said that Tehsildar and SDM were forced to take shelter in a house when another mob directed a heavy attack on Police Station.
Meanwhile, both factions of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Shah Geelani, have called for shutdown in Kashmir tomorrow. Mirwaiz has asked the people to stage a protest march to Sopore on Saturday while as Geelani has made similar appeal to the Kashmiris for Monday next.
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