Inquiry ordered into boy's death as Srinagar seethes

Srinagar: Restrictions akin to a total curfew continued to be in place in the old city area of Srinagar as fresh protests erupted Sunday against the alleged killing of a 16-year-old student in the city's Nishat area.

Hundreds of slogan-shouting protesters marched on the Nishat road along the banks of the Dal Lake and converged outside the area's police station demanding "severe punishment" for those involved in the death of Zahid Farooq Shaikh.

The boy's relatives alleged that he had been shot by security forces without any provocation as he was playing near Nishat Garden, a tourist hub on the outskirts of the city.

Zahid's death came days after a schoolboy was killed last week in the Rajouri Kadal area of the old city after being struck on the head by a teargas shell apparently fired by security forces.

The city has been on the boil since Friday's incident and Zahid's death only served to heighten tensions.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered a probe into the incident and the Kashmir divisional commissioner has been directed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to submit a report within seven days.

Authorities continued curfew-like restrictions in areas falling under five police stations in the old city for the fourth day. Residents have complained of an acute shortage of essential commodities in the areas where pedestrian and vehicular movement has been completely restricted.

Police, however, made no attempt to stop protesters yesterday.

A senior police officer said restrictions will be lifted once "we feel the situation has shown improvement".

Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, a moderate, has called for a march to the United Nations Military Observers Group office in Srinagar today to submit a memorandum.