BLOODBATH IN VARMUL
Greater Kashmir Nov 23
CRPF TROOPERS SHOOT DEAD SCHOOLBOY, THEN FIRE AT MOURNERS KILLING 25-YEAR OLD MAN; MASSIVE ANTI-INDIA, ANTI-ELECTION DEMOS IN CURFEWED TOWN
ALTAF BABA / UMER MAQBOOL DAR
Varmul, Nov 22: Massive anti-India and pro-freedom demonstrations were held in Varmul on Saturday where people accused the troopers Central Reserve Police Force and Police of killing a 17-year old boy and a 25-year old man in Varmul town.
While the paramilitary troopers and police used excessive force, and imposed curfew, to quell the demonstrations, the angry protesters torched a vehicle of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’s cavalcade, and also damaged the vehicle of Panthers Party candidate.
Mansoor Ali, 17, of Khanpora Varmul was shot dead in the morning by CRPF personnel guarding the Congress candidate for Varmul, eyewitnesses told Greater Kashmir.
“Between 11.45 AM and 12 PM we were playing in the playfield (of government middle school Khanpora) when the troopers asked us to leave. We told them we are playing; we won’t leave, but they beat us up. And when we ran out of the ground the CRPF troopers escorting Congress candidate fired at us and a bullet hit Mansoor in his chest,” Shabir Ahmed Kumar, an eyewitness and colleague of the deceased.
“In the morning some youths had clashed with police and CPRF and pelted stones, but the situation was peaceful when we were playing,” he said.
He said that two other youth, Danish Gojri and Ishfaq Ahmed Kumar, were injured in incident.
“It was a cold-blooded murder,” said a man who claimed he witnessed the incident.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Varmul Shiekh Faisal said that they have received information that bullet was fired by guard of Congress candidate.
“We will definitely investigate the whole matter and then only file the case against the culprits,” Sheikh Faisal said.
The Congress candidate, however, denied the involvement of his guards in killing of the youth.
“A clash between police and protesters was already going on when I reached Khanpora; the youth was probably killed in the firing by the CPRF troopers, there is no hand of my guards in the incident,” the Congress candidate Mushtaq Mir of Nowshehra, Varmul said.
The authorities had already imposed a curfew in old town area since early morning by deploying large contingent of police and CRPF troopers in area. The locals said the CRPF troopers had terrorized them since Friday when they demonstrated peacefully after Friday prayers. The residents said the troopers barged into their houses, beat up the inmates, and ransacked household goods.
As the news of Mansoor’s death spread, thousands of people in volatile old town, defying curfew, took to streets shouting anti-India, pro-freedom, and anti-election slogans. They carried the body of the dead boy towards martyrs graveyard.
But the CRPF men fired upon mourners at Bunglow Bagh, critically wounding Muhammed Rafiq Bhat, who was shifted to SKIMS Soura in Srinagar for emergency treatment.
Another wounded mourner Muhammed Rafiq Najar, hit by a tear smoke shell directly aimed at protesters, told Greater Kashmir that CRPF troopers fired numerous teargas canisters and beat up people with bamboo batons when they tried to lift Muhammad Rafiq Bhat.
“They did not allow us to take the wounded men to hospital. They were brutal,” he said.
After the firing spree on mourners, the agitated people resurfaced and clashed with CRPF men in Mir Sahib Mohalla. The troopers, according to eyewitnesses, fired indiscriminately at the protesters. A bullet hit Tanveer Ahmed Shiekh in his chest, killing him on the spot.
“We took him to hospital in a pushcart but doctors declared him brought dead,” said Fayaz Ahmad.
Medical superintendent of District Hospital Varmul told Greater Kashmir that both the dead persons had bullet wounds on chest.
After killing Fayaz, the witnesses said the CRPF troopers went berserk and thrashed an ambulance driver, Javed Ahmad, and an employee of the Hospital, Manzoor Ahmad, who ferried the body of deceased in old town from the hospital.
Driver Javid Ahmed told GK, “The CRPF troopers asked me to get down from the ambulance and thrashed me and Manzoor brutally. They even stoned our vehicle and damaged it.”
Some of mourners injured in CRPF action are: Muhammad Rafiq Najar, Rafiq Ahmad Bhat, Bilal Ahmad Gojri, Ishfaq Ahmad Kumar, Riyaz Ahmad Malla,Nasreena, Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh, Tanveer Ahmad, and Abdur Rashid Ahangar.
Following the killings, thousands of people in Khanpora and old town demonstrated against India, police, CRPF, and assembly election.
The CRPF and SOG troopers lobbed dozens of teargas canisters in old town to crush the protesters, but the demonstrators offered stiff resistance.
The people damaged the campaign vehicle of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party candidate, Shafeeqa Begum, who managed to escape from the spot.
Later in evening the protesters torched the ambassador vehicle of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti , who was on way from Kupwara to Srinagar .
The people in Khanpora also beat-up people of Uri participating in rallies of pro-India political parties.
The district administration has also announced magisterial probe in the incident.
An official spokesman said the Additional District Development Commissioner Varmul Muhammad Akbar Mir has been appointed as the inquiry officer and asked to submit inquiry report within a week.
The CRPF troopers also ransacked the house of Vishwa Bharati Prinicipal in Varmul.
GK REPORTER BEATEN
The personnel of the dreaded Special Operations Group (SOG) of police beat up this reporter at Main Chowk Varmul when he tried to photograph a street in the old town teeming with troopers and policemen.
“We will show you how a photograph is taken,” said an SOG cop, and started thrashing this reporter.
GKNN
Mehbooba’s escort vehicle set ablaze
Varmul, Nov 22: Angry protesters set ablaze the escort vehicle of the Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti here on Saturday.
Witnesses said that angry youth pelted stones at Mehbooba’s cavalcade near Azad Gunj this evening. “One of the vehicles carrying a security guard of Mehbooba was gheraoed by the protesters. After dragging the driver and the guard out of the vehicle, protesters set it ablaze,” witnesses said.
A police official said that after setting ablaze the vehicle, mob took the driver and the SPO as hostage. “The duo was released after the intervention of the top police officials,” he added.
Police sources said that Mehbooba Mufti who was on her way back from Kupwara was advised not to take Varmul route. “She refused to change the route,” sources added.
When contacted, Mehbooba told Greater Kashmir, “I was not aware about the incident till I reached Srinagar. I am perfectly alright. People didn’t attack my cavalcade. The vehicle which was set ablaze had developed some trouble and it was being repaired by the security men. The incident happened after I had crossed Azad Gunj."
GKNN
PP candidate’s house attacked
Ganderbal, Nov 22: Unidentified persons hurled a grenade towards the house of Panther’s Party candidate here in north Kashmir on Saturday evening, police said.
A police official told Greater Kashmir that the device exploded few metres away from the house of Abdur Rasheed Ganie at Arhama Ganderbal. No one was injured in the attack, he added.
Ganie is contesting from Kangan where polls are to be held on Sunday in the second phase.
GKNN
Blast in DPN candidate’s house
Sopur, Nov 22: Unidentified persons threw a grenade on the residence of Democratic Party Nationalist candidate, Muhammad Abdullah Dar, at Yaseen Colony Sopur on Saturday evening.
“It exploded with a deafening noise and damaged his residence. No one was wounded in the blast,” a police official wishing anonymity said.
The security guards of the candidate opened fire triggering a gunfight with the gunmen. The fight continued for 10 minutes, sources said adding the gunmen later fled from the site.
GKNN
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