Day 132: Hit by shell, Elderly man succumb in Srinagar

• The family members of Khan said that there were no protests going on in the area when he was hit.
• Large number of people attend his funeral prayers, protests in Soura
• Panchayat ghar, school building torched
• 2 persons involved in burning, ransacking of schools in Budgam arrested: Police

An elderly man who was hit by a teargas shell outside his residence in Srinagar on November 2 succumbed at SK Institute of Medical Sciences here late last night.
With the fresh death, the total number of people who died in the past 132 days of uprising has reached 97. At least 15000 people have been injured of which over 700 were hit by pellets in their eyes alone. Over 10000 people have been arrested so far.

The slain man identified as Ghulam Muhammad Khan alias Naqash, aged 75, a former president of Secretariat Employees Union, had gone out for a stroll outside his house when a teargas shell hit him on his head in Ellahi Bagh near Government Housing Colony on 90-feet road Soura on November 2.
He was on ventilator since and medicos treating him had said that the chances of his survival were bleak. “His 95 percent brain had been damaged by the tear gas shell. There were bleak chances of his survival,” a senior medico at SKIMS told Kashmir Post.
The family members of Khan said that there were no protests going on in the area when he was hit.

“Everything was normal in the area on November 2, although there were clashes going on in Anchar area which is three kilometeres away from our residence where my father was hit,” said Fayaz Ahmed.
“He along with his friends was sitting near housing colony park adjacent to his house. All of a sudden, security forces came out of a Gypsy and fired teargas shell which hit my father on the back side of his head causing grievous injuries to his brain.”
A senior police official informed that FIR number 124/2016 has been lodged into the incident and investigations are on “to find out the reasons behind his injury.” Khan was laid to rest at a graveyard in Elahibagh amid pro-freedom slogans. Hundreds of people attended his funeral.
Reports said mild protests erupted after the elderly man was laid to rest at Elahibagh. However, forces resorted to tear gas shelling to disperse the protesting youth.
The situation in rest of Srinagar areas remained peaceful. Shops in many uptown areas remained opened. There was an increased movement of private and public transport in LalChowk and other areas amid massive pedestrian movement. Inter-district public transport could be seen plying normally. Reports of traffic jams poured in from various district headquarters.
Late evening reports said that an elderly woman sustained injuries when unknown persons were hurling stones at private vehicles at FatehKadal area of old Srinagar. She was immediately shifted to SMHS hospital for treatment.
Reports said that on the call of joint resistance leadership, one-day Azadi convention was held at Turkwangan village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district. Witnesses said that at least 1500 people participated in the rally amid pro-freedom slogans. The rally was led by Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Tehsil president Muhammad HussainWagay.
Reports said that unknown persons torched PanchayatGhar in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district’s Arigam village. Earlier, reports said that ten youth were detained by the police during nocturnal raid in Tahab area of Pulwama triggering protests in the area. Residents said that forces came in the area and started door to door searches after which ten youth were picked up.
After remaining suspended for over four months due to ongoing unrest in Kashmir, rail service connecting north and south Kashmir resumed partially, officials said. The full operations are expected to start within the next ten days, they said.
Meanwhile, police today claimed to have arrested two miscreants namely Farooq Ahmad Malik alias Buda son of Ali Mohammad Malik and Bilal Ahmad Malik alias Durani son of Abdul Karim Malik residents of Shunglipora for setting on fire Government School at Habbar, Lassipora in Budgam.
“As the school was located away from the human habitation, the two miscreants managed some kerosene oil from their respective homes and used the same for setting the school on fire. Both of them have confessed to their guilt,” a police spokesman said.
He said the duo had also ransacked Hanfia School in the Budgam district.
“Both of them have been arrested and further investigation is going on,” added the spokesman.
In past four months of unrest in the Valley, over 32 schools have been torched by unknown persons.