Death and clashes follow as curfew is lifted from Valley
ON THE EDGE Teenager’s killing in Sopore takes death toll in Kashmir to 71
A teenager died after security forces opened fire on protesters in north Kashmir as intense clashes rocked the Valley on the day curfew was lifted from the entire region, a first in the past 54 days.
Teenager Danish Manzoor was killed in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday morning, taking the death toll in the Valley to 71.
Baramulla deputy commissioner Nasir Ahmad Naqash said Manzoor was killed after youth attacked an army convoy with stones in Nadihal village and they were fired upon.
Sopore superintendent of police Harmeet Singh Mehta said army fired a few rounds of ammunition in the air and some blank rounds for self defence after the stone pelting. “Six people were injured, of which five are in the hospital and one died on the spot.
But there is presence of militants in the area and that’s why we need to investigate whose bullet killed the youth,” Mehta said.
Srinagar-based defence spokesperson Colonel NN Joshi said the army denied any role in the death.
Later in the day, Manzoor was laid to rest amid slogans of azadi. CLASHES ACROSS KASHMIR Meanwhile, clashes erupted across Kashmir and Srinagar’s old city saw demonstrations against India.
In Khanyar locality of Srinagar, forces fired tear gas shells as protesters shouted antiIndia slogans and raised Pakistani flags.
HT photographer Waseem Andrabi suffered a minor injury after being hit by a stone while covering the protest at Khanyar.
Clashes between security forces and civilians were also reported from Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam, Anantnag and Bandipora districts.
Condemning the clashes, Independent legislator Engineer Rashid said the killing in Nadihal had “exposed” the “nefarious designs of the Indian state”.