SRINAGAR: A day after two youth were killed in army firing in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, Kashmir remained tense on Sunday and life in Valley remained paralysed due to shutdown called by separatists and security restrictions imposed in some parts by authorities.
Authorities imposed curfew-like restrictions in Ganowpora area in Shopian district, where two youth Javid Ahmad Bhat and Suhail Javed were killed and another critically injured in army firing yesterday.
The police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in strength in the area to foil protests by the locals against killing of two youth in army firing.
The security men had placed barricades and concertina wires on the roads to restrict movement of the people.
The restrictions were also enforced in some other sensitive areas of south Kashmir and downtown Srinagar to maintain law and order.
The life in other parts of the Valley was crippled by shutdown called by separatist leaders against civilian killings.
All shops, business establishments and petrol pumps remained closed while public transport was off the roads.
Tension continued to prevail in the entire Valley.
A youth Rayees Ahmad, who was critically injured in army firing yesterday, is undergoing treatment in a Srinagar hospital.
The doctors attending of him have termed his condition as very critical.
Police names army officer in FIR
Police has named Army officer, Major Aditya of 10 Garhwal Regiment and his unit in the FIR lodged against the army unit for killing two youth.
Police has lodged FIR No 26/2018 PRC under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 336 (endangering life) against the army unit.
Army has claimed that the soldiers fired in self defence after their convoy came under heavy stone pelting by youth in the village and attempt was made to lynch a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO).
The government has already ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.
High speed internet shut
The authorities suspended high speed internet in the Valley and only low speed internet is working.
Sources said police officials have directed the internet service providers in the Valley not to provide high speed internet services to the subscribers in the Valley.
They said only low speed (2G) internet services is being provided in the Valley.
Sources said high speed internet has been shut because authorities apprehend that people might upload or share content on social media that may further worsen the situation.
Worst start to a year
Former J&K Chief Minister and opposition National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said the first month of 2018 has been a terrible one for J&K. “The death has cast its ugly shadow far too often already”.
“Deaths along the border with Pakistan in Jammu and deaths in Kashmir in the first month. I can only pray that the rest of the year does not go this way,” he tweeted.
He said the security forces have also paid a heavy price already this year. “I don’t think I am wrong when I say this is the worst start to a year we have seen in more than a decade”.
Three civilians have been shot dead by security forces in Valley last week while 13 people including six security men have died in Pakistani troops firing and mortar shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in the State this month so far.
Ordering probes, registering FIR not enough: Congress chief
State Congress G A Mir has said mere ordering probes or lodging FIR won’t serve any purpose.
“Unless and until action is initiated and responsibilities fixed against the involved personnel things won’t improve. The loss of lives will further deepen the alienation among the people, who were already living in isolation due to the anti-people policies adopted by PDP BJP ruling dispensation,” he said.
He asserted that people have lost faith in FIRs and magisterial probes and urged urged the Centre and State governments to ensure that people live without any fear by infusing a sense of security among them.