Protests erupt in Srinagar after 11-yr-old’s death, toll reaches 86
Protests erupted in Harwan on the outskirts of Srinagar on Saturday morning after the pellet-ridden body of an 11-year-old boy was recovered from the area late on Friday night.
The death toll in the unrest in the Valley that began following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8 has now risen to 86, including two policemen.
According to locals, Nasir Shafi Qazi, nicknamed Momin, went missing soon after clashes with security forces in the New Theed area on Friday evening.
Locals started searching for Momin as the news spread. Soon, they found his body that had multiple pellet injuries. He was the youngest of three siblings.
Momin’s father alleged that his son was also hit on the head. “My son’s body had bruises on the head and neck and it seems like he was also hit,” Mohammad Shafi said.
Director general of police, coordination and law and order, SP Vaid said, “It appears the boy was hit by pellets. The IGP Kashmir is investigating the matter.”
On Friday, a 13-year-old boy succumbed to tear gas shell injuries he had sustained on September 5.
Three civilians have been killed in clashes with security forces since Eid on September 13.
Meanwhile, internet services have been restored in the Valley.
For over two months now, unrest has been convulsing Kashmir.
A long spell of curfew across the Valley and shutdowns called by the separatists, protests and crackdowns by security forces had become routine.
Two successive visits by home minister Rajnath Singh in July and August and then an all-party delegation’s visit earlier this month has not made much difference to the situation on the ground.
While separatists were lukewarm to the all-party delegation, Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s refusal to meet any member of the delegation has led the government to mull punitive action against the hardliners.
LOCALS SAID NASIR WENT MISSING SOON AFTER CLASHES IN NEW THEED AREA ON FRIDAY AND HIS BODY WAS RECOVERED AFTER A FRANTIC SEARCH