Curfew-like restrictions, protests continue in Srinagar

SRINAGAR - Harsh curfew-like restrictions continued in the old city area of summer capital Srinagar, where fresh protests were held Sunday against the alleged killing of a 16-year-old student in Nishat area.

Hundreds of protestors shouting anti-India and pro-freedom slogans marched on the Nishat road along the banks of the Dal Lake this morning. The protestors held a massive demonstration outside the police station, demanding “severe punishment” for those involved in the death of Zahid Farooq Sheikh.

Zahid was allegedly shot by security forces at Nishat near the Mughal garden Friday afternoon.

His relatives alleged that he was shot by security forces without any provocation when he was playing near Nishat Garden - a tourist hub on the outskirts of the city. He was immediately taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Zahid’s death came days after a school boy was killed last week when he was hit on the head by a teargas shell in Rajouri Kadal area of the old city.

The city has been on boil since then and Friday’s incident, which people blamed on security forces, heightened the tension. The police, however, Sunday morning didn’t stop the protestors.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered an enquiry into the incident and Kashmir divisional commissioner has been directed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to submit a report within seven days.

Authorities continued curfew-like restrictions in areas falling under five police stations in the old city for the fourth day in view of continued tension following the death of the two school boys.

The residents are facing acute shortage of essential commodities in the areas where pedestrian and vehicular movement was completely restricted.

State authorities are reviewing the situation and a senior police officer said restrictions will be lifted once “we feel the situation has shown improvement”.

The residents said security personnel didn’t even allow them to visit the medical camps set up to administer pulse polio drops to kids.

But a senior police officer said instructions have been issued to the cops to allow the parents to take kids to the camps in small batches.

Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq has called for a march to the United Nations Military Observers Group (UNMOG) office in Srinagar Monday to submit a memorandum to the observers.