50 hurt in protests over student's killing in JK

Srinagar, Sep 11: The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir today assured that an inquiry would soon be ordered into the killing of a college student in Baramulla district after which the mourners agreed to bury the body following two days of protests which saw at least 50 people wounded in clashes between mourners and police.

Thousands of angry mourners, raising pro-independence and anti- India slogans, demonstrated on the Baramulla-Handwara road for the second successive today in protest against the killing of Mohammad Ramzan Shah, a BA second year student of Sopore Degree College.

The protestors alleged that Shah, a resident of Batsuma, Watergam in Dangiwacha area of Baramulla district, was killed in a fake gun-battle by the Army, which had earlier claimed that he was gunned down in a ''fierce encounter'' at Sherhama Mawar in Handwara area of Kupwara district yesterday.

Police had also claimed that Shah, along with Abu Imran Sindhi of Pakistan, was killed in a gun-battle at Sherhama Mawar.

The mourners alleged that Shah was killed in cold blood by the Army and police and later dubbed as a militant. The protests erupted soon after his body was handed over to the villagers. They demanded strict action against the ''errant'' soldiers and police personnel.

The mourners refused to bury Shah's body till the government ordered a probe into the incident. The protestors staged a sit-in at Watergam till late last evening. The body was kept at a local government dispensary for the night after heavy downpour forced the mourners to disperse. The protests resumed this morning as frequent clashes broke out between the mourners and the police.

Police used batons, fired teargas shells and opened fire in the air to quell the protests. However, the protestors offered stiff resistance and clashed with police in which about 50 people, including a sub-inspector and many other personnel, were wounded.

The situation in the area was later brought under control after several senior civil and police officials reached the spot. They assured the protestors that an inquiry would soon be ordered into the killing and the guilty, if any, severely punished.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a key partner of the Congress-led coalition government in the state also demanded a probe into the killing of the student.

A PDP spokesman said police should refrain from applying brute force against the people whenever any public outrage was invoked by any incident in the state.

In view of the public outrage in Dangiwacha where the mourners claim that Shah was killed in doubtful circumstances, he said a probe should be conducted and the people taken into confidence.

The spokesman condemned the police resistance against the public, saying utmost care should be taken to maintain and respect the human rights of the people. UNI