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One killed in CRPF firing in Srinagar

Shujaat Bukhari

Mehbooba leads march to Raj Bhavan, demands end to economic blockade

— Photo: PTI/S. Irfan

“End atrocities”: People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti leading a protest march to the Raj Bhavan, demanding an end to atrocities on the people of Kashmir, in Srinagar on Thursday. She also called for steps to resolve the crisis in Jammu and Kashmir.

Srinagar: Even as the situation eased in violence-hit Srinagar and some others parts on Thursday with the relaxation in curfew, one more civilian was killed in firing on protesters by the CRPF.

The civilian was killed when personnel opened fire on a stone-pelting mob in the Safakadal area of Srinagar. It was protesting against “atrocities committed by the forces” in dealing with the agitation over the “economic blockade” by the Sangarsh Samiti in Jammu on the issue of land allotment for Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.

At Rawalpora on the outskirts of the city, a police vehicle was set on fire by angry protesters.

The CRPF denied using “excessive force.” “There are some vested interests which want to create a misunderstanding between the people and the force. The CRPF is a people-friendly force and is out there to maintain peace and law and order,” its spokesman Prabhakar Tripathi said.

Calls were issued from mosques in Srinagar on Wednesday night asking people to come out to protest against the killings. At least 50 people were injured in clashes with the police at other places. Curfew was relaxed in the Valley, except in Baramulla and Anatnag.

— Photo: NISSAR AHMAD

People carry the body of a youth who the mourners said had died when security forces fired at protesters in Srinagar on Thursday.

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti led a march to the Raj Bhavan and demanded that all natural routes of Jammu and Kashmir be thrown open and steps taken to resolve the crisis in the State. She sat outside the Raj Bhavan along with senior party leaders who carried placards highlighting the atrocities committed on the people. “This movement is not about just 800 kanals of land, but about resolution of the Kashmir issue which is the root cause of all the crises … We are protesting against the atrocities committed by the J&K police and the CRPF while people were moving towards Muzaffarabad … It is their right to cross the LoC.”

Drawing a distinction between police action in Jammu and in Srinagar, the PDP president said: “People here were not armed with trishuls, swords or petrol bombs as in Jammu and police exercised maximum restraint there. But 40 people were martyred here in just three days.”

Name removed from list

PTI reports from New Delhi:

CRPF Inspector General Sunil Kumar Jain, who was pulled out from Srinagar on Thursday, was also in the news after his name was abruptly deleted from the list of those awarded President’s medal for distinguished services despite being selected.

Mr. Jain had made it to the Independence Day honours list for a series of daring operations carried out under his command during his posting as IG (Kashmir).

The 1984-batch IPS officer from Assam and Meghalaya cadre had an unceremonious exit in the morning after he was shifted from Srinagar following uproar in the Kashmir valley on Wednesday night against alleged excesses by the paramilitary force.

The reason behind the Home Ministry’s decision to remove his name off the list that was released to media was not known but a Home Ministry spokesman maintained that the list was final and that he was not aware of any other list.

However, sources said Mr. Jain continued to remain on the list which was meant for internal files of the Home Ministry.

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