No Let-up in student protest on fourth consecutive day

Srinagar: Campuses erupted on fourth consecutive day on Tuesday at various places in Kashmir against the killing of militant commander Zakir Musa in an encounter with government forces last week in south Kashmir’s Tral area.
Reports said the students staged protests against the killing of the militants triggering clashes at various parts prompting authorities to suspend the class work in the educational institutions.
Already, the class work was suspended for 4th consecutive day in degree colleges and higher secondary schools of Pulwama district. The decision was taken as a precautionary measure to avoid law and order situation in the district.
In other parts the class work resumed in the educational institutions including schools and colleges after third day of the suspension of class work. However, student protests continued on Tuesday at various places throwing up a major challenge for the administration to control the situation.
Scores of students of Government Degree College (GDC) Sopore staged a protest inside college campus on Tuesday against the killing of Ansar Gazwatul Hind (AGH) Cheif Zakir Musa. An eyewitness said that students staged protests amid pro-freedom and pro Azadi slogans inside campus and tried to march on the road.
However the forces deployed outside college swung into action and thwarted the students to march in protest on road, triggering clashes in the area. In wake the clashes, the college authorities suspended the class work for a day to control the law and order situation. Amid the clashes two youth sustained injuries and were hospitalized for treatment.
Doctors at sub-district hospital Sopore confirmed that two youth had sustained injuries during clashes. The two students were identified as Irfan Ahamd son of Mohammad Abdullah of Tantraypora Reban who was hit by pellets in his eye. “He was shifted to SMHS Srinagar for further treatment,” the doctor said.
The second injured student was identified as Ishfaq Ahamd of Sopore who had sustained three stitches in his leg and arm. “But his condition was stable,” the doctor said. Meanwhile, clashes also erupted between government forces and students in Degree College Ganderbal against the killing of militant commander.
An eyewitness said the students raised massive pro-freedom and anti-India slogans and tried to march out of the campus. However, a posse of government forces intercepted them. “The students pelted stones on government forces who retaliated by lobbing tear gas shells triggering intense clashes,” he said.
Clashes also broke out between students of Islamia College and government forces here as well. The killing of Zakir Musa had forced the government machinery to close down educational institutions for three consecutive days.