Srinagar: A youth was killed during gunfire by security forces against protestors in north Kashmir’s Baramulla Tuesday, sparking off a wave of violence in the town, police said.
According to police sources, Tahir Lateef Sofi, 29, was killed in shooting by security forces at Chatipadshahi Bridge in Baramulla town when protestors, demanding the return of the body of parliament accused convict Afzal Guru, pelted stones at some army vehicles passing on the road.
After the firing incident, a huge mob carrying the body of the slain youth attacked the office of the Baramulla district magistrate.
Senior civil and police officers have rushed to the town.
Sources in the state administration said the Baramulla district magistrate has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the shooting incident, besides lodging of an FIR against the security personnel responsible for the youth’s death.
Protests also erupted at more than a dozen other places during the day in Srinagar, Badgam, Pulwama, Shopian and Bandipora districts where stone-throwing protestors clashed with the security forces.
Official sources in Jammu said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who even broke down while mentioning the incident in the assembly, has deputed Medical Education Minister Taj Mohiuddin, who represents Uri constituency in the district, to take stock of the situation in Baramulla.
Meanwhile, markets remained closed to protest the death of a Kashmiri student in Hyderabad, while a group of people clashed with the security forces on Tuesday. Mudasir Ahmad Malla, a Ph.D student in English and Foreign Languages University was found hanging in his room in a hostel room in Hyderabad on Sunday.
The body of the student was brought to his native Parigam village in Pulwama district on Monday, where thousands attended his funeral prayers.
In old city areas of Srinagar security personnel used tear gas canisters to disperse the protest march. The protesters hurled stones at the security forces who also responded by using batons.
Authorities have not imposed any restrictions on pedestrian and vehicular movement in Srinagar.
The separatists are alleging the student was murdered while the state government maintains it has been a case of suicide as per the preliminary investigations by Hyderabad police.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said there is no mystery about the death of the student since it was a case of suicide.
He also said the details of the incident have been shared with the family of the student and could be made public if the family permitted.
