Two youth killed in Indian troops firing, torture in IHK

35 Kashmiris injured in firing on funeral procession

SRINAGAR: Two Kashmiri youth were killed in firing and torture by the Indian troops, while 35 others were injured in firing on the funeral prayer of a deceased youth on Saturday.

A youth was killed in a so-called encounter in the Shopian district in the Indian Held Kashmir. An Indian Army soldier was injured in the encounter that purportedly started on Saturday morning in the Dubjan area.

The youth, a resident of Kellar village, has been identified as Waseem Ahmad Khanday. Another youth was killed reportedly due to torture of Indian troops.

Meanwhile, fresh scuffles broke out in the IHK between Indian troops and mourners who had turned out for the funeral of a teenage boy allegedly slain in police custody.

The clashes erupted at several entry points into the Martyr’s Graveyard in Srinagar on Saturday, leaving at least 35 people wounded. The injured, including two women, were taken to hospital.

The confrontation came after police and paramilitary soldiers fired shotgun pellets and tear gas at those attending the funeral procession. Some young men also hurled rocks at the Indian troops.

A police officer, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that the firing was triggered by the fear that the funeral could become a larger rally.

Government forces also intercepted mourners carrying the body of 16-year-old Qaiser Sofi, who died in a hospital in Srinagar overnight. The student of the Mirak Shah School was found unconscious on October 28, one day after he went missing.

Sofi’s family said their son was tortured and poisoned by the police. However, the police denied the accusation and said the victim consumed poison himself.

IHK is experiencing its largest demonstrations against Indian rule in recent years, sparked by the killing of a top figure in the pro-independence Hizb-ul-Mujahideen group. Burhan Wani was killed in a shootout with the Indian troops in Kokernag area in July.

Since then, at least 90 people, most of them young protesters, have been killed in the Kashmir clashes and thousands injured, among them hundreds blinded and maimed.