SRINAGAR: The death toll in army firing on protestors in south Kashmir’s Shopian district last Saturday has risen to three with critically injured youth succumbing to injuries on Wednesday while police have incorporated army statement on civilian killings in the FIR registered against the army unit.
A critically injured Rayees Ahmad Bhat succumbed to injuries at a Srinagar hospital today.
Rayees had sustained bullet injuries in head in army firing in Ganowpora village of Shopian on Saturday (January 27) in which two youth Javid Ahmad and Suhail Javid were killed.
“He was operated in Srinagar hospital and his condition continued to remain critical and succumbed today,” a doctor of the hospital said.
Rayees is survived by elderly mother and two brothers.
Thousands of people attended multiple funeral prayers of Rayees at his native village of Nadipora in Shopian this afternoon amidst changing of pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. His body was later laid to rest at a graveyard in his native village.
With death of Rayees, the death toll in army firing in Ganowpora, Shopian has risen to three.
Shopian for the seventh consecutive day today observed shutdown against civilian and militant killings in the area.
Police, meanwhile, has incorporated army statement on civilian killings in FIR registered against army for killing the youth.
Police has registered an FIR No 26/2018 PRC under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 336 (endangering life) against Army’s 10 Garhwal Regiment for killing two youth. The FIR also names Army officer, Major Aditya, who was commanding the 10 Garhwal Regiment.
Army, however, has claimed that troops fired in self defence at Ganawpora, Shopian after coming under heavy stone pelting from the youth and besides an attempt was made to lynch a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO).
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shopian A S Dinkar told New Indian Express that army report on the incident has been added to the ongoing investigation.
“The army statement has been brought under record and made part of the investigation,” he said.
Dinkar said no fresh or counter FIR has been fired into the incident.
He said investigation into the civilian killings is going on.
The ruling BJP has been demanding withdrawal of FIR against army and registration of case against youth involved in stone pelting on army convoy in Shopian. However, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has rejected BJP’s call and asserted that FIR would be taken to the logical conclusion.
Valley observed complete shutdown in response to separatists’ call on Sunday against the civilian killings in Shopian in army firing.
The separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, have called for march to Shopian on February 2 (Friday) to express solidarity with the families of youth killed in army firing on Saturday last.
The separatist leaders have said they would offer Friday congregational prayers at Jamia Masjid Shopian on February 2 and later stage a sit-in at Shopian town against civilian killings in army firing.