SRINAGAR: Kashmir was again tense on Saturday after a 12-year-old boy, who had sustained pellet injuries in security forces firing succumbed to injuries, taking the death toll of people killed in ongoing unrest triggered by killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani on July 8 to 91.
12-year-old boy Junaid Ahmad succumbed to injuries at a hospital in Srinagar early this morning.
He had sustained multiple pellet injuries in chest and head in security forces pellet and tear gas shelling on protestors in Eidgah area of downtown Srinagar yesterday.
Thousands of people chanting pro-freedom, pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans participated in his funeral procession. As the mourners were heading towards martyrs graveyard Eidgah, police and para-military personnel intercepted them and lobbed tear gas shells and resorted to heavy baton charge to disperse them.
The mourners regrouped and later buried the body of Junaid in the martyrs graveyard amidst pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
Junaid is survived by parents and four sisters.
With the minor’s killing, the death toll of people killed in over three month long unrest triggered by killing of Burhan has risen to 91. Over 12,000 people and more than 4000 security personnel have also been injured in the clashes between security forces and youth during protests since July 9.
After the fresh killing, authorities imposed curfew in some areas of Srinagar and other towns of the Valley today. Due to curfew, restrictions and shutdown, shops, business establishments, petrol pumps and educational institutions remained closed while public transport was off the roads.
It was for the 92nd day that life in Valley remained paralysed.
However, in the evening, shops and business establishments at some places opened in view of the relaxation in shutdown announced by the separatists.
The current shutdown is already the longest ever in Kashmir’s history and is inching toward 100 days.
The protests and clashes between youth and security personnel were reported from many parts of the Valley today. The cops fired pellets and tear gas shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse the stone pelting youth. Over a dozen people sustained injuries in the clashes.
Police today arrested a youth Ishfaq Ahmad alias Gonga from a hospital Hajin area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district after he arrived there to receive treatment for bullet injury sustained by him in security forces firing on protestors on July 28.
Police said Ishfaq was ‘wanted stone pelter.’
The government has launched massive crackdown against separatist leaders and activists and against youth indulging in stone pelting.
According to official sources, police has arrested over 7000 people including separatist leaders and youth to foil protests and restore normalcy in the Valley.
Almost all separatist leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Mohammad Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai have been arrested while 87-year-old hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani has been placed under house arrest.
Official sources said 450 people have also been booked under infamous Public Safety Act (PSA) in the Valley after eruption of unrest on July 9.