Two Students killed in Pulwama firing, Political parties unite to condemn killings
• Shaista shot in head, Danish in neck
• Militant Adil’s killing triggers clashes, around a dozen injured
• Time-bound inquiry ordered: DC
• Curfew in Pulwama, parts of Srinagar today
Two students were killed as forces opened fire to quell protests after a local militant was killed in an encounter at Kakapora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Sunday.
Shaista Hamid, daughter of Abdul Hamid Bhat of New Colony Lelhara and Danish Rashid, son of Abdul Rashid of Ratnipora, were killed in firing by forces.
Eyewitnesses said Shaista was hit by a bullet at her house close to the encounter site. “She received bullets in her head while she was sitting on the verandah of her house,” they said.
They added that Danish, who had gone to play cricket with his friends at Lelhara cricket stadium, rushed towards the encounter site along with other boys after hearing gunshots. “He was part of the protests that broke out at the encounter site and was hit by bullets.”
Shaista was rushed to district hospital Pulwama while Danish was shifted to sub-district hospital Pampore.
Confirming Shaista’s death, a doctor from district hospital Pulwama said she had bullet wounds on head and neck. Doctors at sub-district hospital Pampore said Danish was brought dead. They said he had bullet wounds in the neck.
Shaista, a pass out from degree college Pulwama, was pursuing Masters in Arts through distance mode. Son of a government teacher, Danish was a third-semester engineering student at Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) Awantipora.
Speaking to us, Deputy Commissioner, Neeraj Kumar said time-bound inquiry under ADC Pulwama, Shabaz Mirza has been ordered into the firing incident
Meanwhile, authorities have decided to enforce restrictions in Pulwama district and parts of Srinagar city, including the downtown area and Maisuma locality in the uptown.
Earlier, eyewitnesses said soon after the news of the encounter spread, youth from various villages surrounding Kakapora started marching toward the encounter site raising anti-India and pro-freedom slogans.
The police and security forces chased protestors who resorted to stone pelting. Eyewitnesses said forces fired teargas canisters and also opened fire in which two civilians were killed and around 12 others were injured.
Doctors at DHS (district hospital) Pulwama said that they received two people with injuries. “One of them had bullet wounds in both legs. He was referred to SKIMS but he is out of danger,” said a doctor.
The officials at sub-district hospital Pampore said they received 12 people with injuries. “Two had bullet injuries and ten had pellet injuries. They were shifted to Srinagar hospitals for further treatment,” they said.
The protesters were demonstrating against the death of a local militant, Adil Ahmad Waggay, a resident of neighbouring Banderpora village, who was killed in the encounter at Kakapora.
A police official said they cordoned off the Khar Mohallah of Kakapora after receiving inputs about presence of three militants there. He said policemen came under indiscriminate fire from the militants in their bid to escape.
Sources said two militants managed to escape while Adil was killed in a bid to escape.
Section 144 was imposed in the area around the encounter site as per the recent order issued by Deputy Commissioner Pulwama to prevent civilians from getting injured during encounters. However, people defied the restrictions.
13 INJURED ADMITTED AT SMHS HOSPITAL, 1 CRITICAL
Thirteen people injured in Pulwama firing incident have been admitted in SMHS hospital with one of them reported to be critical.
Medical Superintendent SMHS hospital, Dr Nazir Choudhary told that Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din, a civilian from Kakapora in South Kashmir Pulwama district has been injured critically.
“We have admitted 13 injured persons from Pulwama district so far and most of them have received with fire arm injuries. One of them namely Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din has received bullet injury on abdomen. He is critical and has undergone emergency surgery. However, other injured are stable,” Dr Choudhary said.
Meanwhile, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti today condemned the killing of two civilians during an encounter in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Mehbooba said such incidents were uncalled for and security forces must observe restrain while dealing with civilians in such a situation.
“The unfortunate incident, which could have avoided, has claimed lives of two students, including a female one, and injured nearly a dozen civilians,” Mehbooba said while expressing condolences to the bereaved families.
Two civilians and a militant were killed during an encounter in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Sunday.
The National Conference, meanwhile, termed the incident as tragic. “The Governor should ensure the guilty are identified and brought to justice in a time-bound manner,” NC spokesperson Junaid Matoo said in statement here.
“Our hearts go out to the families of the two deceased youth and we pray for the smooth and complete recovery of those who have sustained serious injuries in the incident,” Matoo said.
Congress state president Ghulam Ahmad Mir accused the BJP-led Centre Government of failing to stop such killings. Mir said the policy about dealing with anti-social activities needed to be reviewed and steps should be taken to avoid innocent causalities.
CPM state secretary Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami and Khansahib MLA Hakim Mohammad Yasin while condemning the killings demanded an “impartial and time-bound probe” into the incident.
“The killings are highly condemnable. New Delhi’s statement of zero tolerance on human rights violations have proven a hoax,” said Yasin.
He said such incidents alienate the people of Kashmir and the Centre should immediately devise a mechanism to put an end to them.
Independent legislator Engineer Rasheed alleged that security agencies were treating Kashmiris as their enemies.
“Wherever they (Army) find a chance they do the worst as not only the Indian state, but the biased national media is always there to justify these brutal murders,” said Rashid.