Hindu civilians lob grenade, open fire on Muslim procession
Rising Kashmir NewsSrinagar, Aug 12: Army was called out in the mountainous Kishtwar district of Chenab region in Jammu on Tuesday immediately after an alleged armed assault by Hindu activists on a Muslim procession left two demonstrators dead and scores others injured. The incident took place when a group of Muslim youth defied curfew and tried to take out a procession in support of the ongoing ‘Muzaffarabad Chalo’ movement in Kashmir Valley that started Monday morning.
The residents of the predominantly Muslim Kishtwar in a show of solidarity had staged demonstrations at various places in the district on Monday during which some Hindu activists had launched an unprovoked stone-pelting attack on the Muslim demonstrators near Haryaal Chowk.
Locals said the Muslim did not retaliate and dispersed. But, according to Nehru, the Muslims of the area took a unanimous decision of observing shutdown and staging demonstrations on Tuesday against the killing of Hurriyat leaders Sheikh Abdul Aziz among others. Fearing trouble during these demonstrations the authorities clamped curfew across the district. But the Muslim youth defied curfew and took out a massive procession from the main bus stand and reach Haryaal Chowk at 9:45 am.
“The Hindu activists tried to provoke the demonstrators by pelting stones. When the Muslim youth ignored them a Hindu activist who was standing near Jagdeep Medical Shop lobbed the grenade which exploded with a big bang. The splinters wounded at least fifteen Muslim youth some of them critically,” local social activist Asghar Ali told Rising Kashmir over phone from Jammu where he was accompanying the injured in GMC.
A respectable local journalist, Haq Nawaz Nehru said that following the grenade attack local Chandra Kant, medical assistant in Health department, took out his pistol and fired upon the mob injuring many more. Infuriated, the mob set ablaze at least half-a-dozen vehicles including a lorry of R&B department.
“When the people were giving vent to their anger after grenade and firing from civilian Hindus, PSO of a BJP leader Suneel Kumar opened direct fire at the mob”
In all these assaults at least three civilian Muslims have been killed and seventy five others injured some of them critically.
Those dead include Gazanfar Sheikh and Maqbool Killam of Kishtwar and Gufraan of Thakrai.
However, when Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda was asked who fired upon the procession, he said paramilitary CRPF and Police were deployed there and that they tried to control the mob.
In the neighboring Doda district people held protests and demonstrations in almost all areas. Later, large number of people assembled in the central market and held in-absentia funeral for those killed including Hurriyat leader Sheikh Aziz and others in Kashmir.
Local leaders including Khalid Najeed, Syed Hanief Hashmi and Muhammad Shafie Rangrez addressed the gathering.
Locals said the Muslim did not retaliate and dispersed. But, according to Nehru, the Muslims of the area took a unanimous decision of observing shutdown and staging demonstrations on Tuesday against the killing of Hurriyat leaders Sheikh Abdul Aziz among others. Fearing trouble during these demonstrations the authorities clamped curfew across the district. But the Muslim youth defied curfew and took out a massive procession from the main bus stand and reach Haryaal Chowk at 9:45 am.
“The Hindu activists tried to provoke the demonstrators by pelting stones. When the Muslim youth ignored them a Hindu activist who was standing near Jagdeep Medical Shop lobbed the grenade which exploded with a big bang. The splinters wounded at least fifteen Muslim youth some of them critically,” local social activist Asghar Ali told Rising Kashmir over phone from Jammu where he was accompanying the injured in GMC.
A respectable local journalist, Haq Nawaz Nehru said that following the grenade attack local Chandra Kant, medical assistant in Health department, took out his pistol and fired upon the mob injuring many more. Infuriated, the mob set ablaze at least half-a-dozen vehicles including a lorry of R&B department.
“When the people were giving vent to their anger after grenade and firing from civilian Hindus, PSO of a BJP leader Suneel Kumar opened direct fire at the mob”
In all these assaults at least three civilian Muslims have been killed and seventy five others injured some of them critically.
Those dead include Gazanfar Sheikh and Maqbool Killam of Kishtwar and Gufraan of Thakrai.
However, when Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda was asked who fired upon the procession, he said paramilitary CRPF and Police were deployed there and that they tried to control the mob.
In the neighboring Doda district people held protests and demonstrations in almost all areas. Later, large number of people assembled in the central market and held in-absentia funeral for those killed including Hurriyat leader Sheikh Aziz and others in Kashmir.
Local leaders including Khalid Najeed, Syed Hanief Hashmi and Muhammad Shafie Rangrez addressed the gathering.
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