Youth’s drowning triggers protests in Kashmir

SRINAGAR - Tension gripped north Kashmir’s Sopore town Tuesday after a youth drowned in the Jhelum river.

Zubair Ahmad, 17, drowned after he along with four other youths jumped into the Jhelum in the tense Sopore town Tuesday evening. Local residents alleged that he was being chased by the security forces before he jumped into the river.

After his body was fished out from the river hundreds of locals carrying the body shouted slogans against the security forces. They blamed the forces for chasing the youth who allegedly panicked and jumped into the river.

Youths pelted stones at the security forces during the day in Sopore town.

Senior police officers, however, maintained that no security forces were deployed in the area where the youth had jumped into the river.

It is an accident unconnected with the security forces, a senior police officer said here.

Meanwhile, protesters clashed with the security forces in the valley during a shutdown called by separatists to protest the conviction of six Kashmiris by a Delhi court in a blast case.

Clashes were reported in Maisuma area of Srinagar city and some other places, including Baramulla town. Police used batons and tear smoke shells to disperse the mobs as they pelted stones at police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers at these places.

Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani had called for a shutdown here Tuesday to protest the conviction of six Kashmiris by a Delhi court in the May 2, 1996, Lajpat Nagar bomb blast in which 14 persons were killed.