Saturday, July 17, 2010

Tension in Baramulla over boy’s death


Baramulla, July 18 (KMW): A class 7th student drowned after being beaten allegedly by Special Operation Group personnel of police in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town on Saturday evening sparking massive protests here. His death couldn’t be confirmed, as the body was not retrieved till late night.

Tension mounted in Kashmir again on Saturday evening as a six-year-old drowned in the Jhelum river in Baramulla.

The local people alleged that he was thrown into the river by police after he was beaten. However, the police said they are investigating the matter. It seems the boy jumped into the river as a police truck was moving in the area.

The drowned student has been identified as Faizan Rafiq Buhroo son of Muhammed Rafiq Buhroo of Jalal Sahab old town.

Soon after the incident, thousands of people took to streets and held demonstration. They threw stones at the police and CRPF, who fired several rounds in the air, burst smoke shells and resorted to cane charge. The boy’s body could not be recovered from the river.

He was class 7th student of Guru Nanak School and his father is blacksmith by profession.

Eyewitnesses told Agence India Press that in the evening SOG men chased the stone-pelting youth via Azadgunj Bridge in a private truck.

However, denied the allegation by locals regarding the drowning of youth in SOG chase.

 “Neither there was SOG deployment in the area nor the police personnel crossed the bridge in the private truck,” had police said.

At least six youth were wounded in the clashes in different areas of town following the incident.

Reports of protests were also received from some other areas, including Sopore, old city of Srinagar and South Kashmir in the evening. 

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