Youth injured in army firing in Shopian succumbs, death toll rises to 3

Srinagar: A 19-year-old youth injured in army firing in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday succumbed at SKIMS Soura, taking the death toll in the incident to three.Soon after the death of the youth reached his native villages the youth clashed with government forces in some areas of the Pulwama district and Shopian is already observing a complete shut down against the killing of civilians in army firing few days back. Meanwhile army has given version of its firing to police.
Reports said Rayees Ahmad Ganie, son of Mohd Yousuf Ganie (19) of Narpora Shopian succumbed to his injuries in the wee hours Wednesday after battling for life for nearly five days at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura. Rayees Ahmad Ganie, son of Mohd Yousuf Ganie (19) of Narpora village of the south Kashmir district, was hit in the head after army opened fire on protesters in Ganowpora village on Saturday last week. Two youth – Javed Ahmad Bhat of Balpora and Suhail Javed Lone of Rawalpora – were killed in the firing.
Soon after the body of the slain youth reached his native village around 8 am, youth clashed with forces at Murran Chowk in Pulwama town and Rajpora Chowk in Rajpora area of the adjoining Pulwama district.
Government has already ordered a magisterial probe into the incident while the police has filed a murder case against the army. Meanwhile a complete shutdown is being observed on the seventh consecutive day in the entire Shopian against the civilian killings. All shops, business establishments, government and private offices remain closed in the district while public and private transport was off the roads.
Meanwhile army has submitted its version of the January 27 incident to the Jammu and Kashmir Police and explained its “reasons for opening fire” at protesters, resulting into death of three civilians.
According to the Army’s narrative, submitted yesterday, the force’s convoy was attacked by a group of stone pelters and its personnel resorted to firing to save themselves, the officials said.
The Army’s version comes after the state police registered an FIR about the incident in Ganowpora area of Shopian in south Kashmir in which two youths were killed. One more person succumbed to his injuries Wednesday, raising the toll to three.
Army has claimed it opened firing in “self defence after seven of its personnel were injured.”
The Army has also submitted photographs of the vehicles “damaged” in the stone pelting.
The state government has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.
The FIR filed by the state police names no accused but states that a company of 10 Garhwal led by Major Aditya was on its way for official duty when it was attacked by an “unruly mob with stones.”
Police has filed an FIR under sections 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others), 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Ranbir Penal Code, which is similar to the Indian Penal Code but applicable only in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Shopian incident became a bone of contention between the state’s ruling alliance partners PDP and BJP.