Youth succumbs to injuries in Srinagar

SRINAGAR - A 22-year-old man critically injured in security force firing in Jammu and Kashmir’s Sopore town Friday died in a hospital here Saturday, taking the toll of civilians killed in firing since June 11 to 49, police said.

“Rameez Ahmad Rishi was injured in Sopore town Friday when unruly mobs attacked the Warpora police post. He succumbed to his injuries this (Saturday) morning,” a police official said here.

Rishi had sustained a bullet injury and doctors at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, (SKIMS) said he could not be revived despite their best efforts, the official said.

With Rishi’s death, the number of civilians killed in security forces firing during violent protests here since July 30 has gone up to 31.

Authorities are continuing the imposition of indefinite curfew in Srinagar and other major towns of the Kashmir Valley for the eighth day running as residents complain of acute shortage and non-availability of essential commodities.

“There is just a day’s ration left in my house. We are a family of five and unless I am able to buy foodstuff, cooking gas, edible oil etc, I am afraid my family would starve,” said Maqsood Ahmad, 45, who lives in Old City Srinagar.

Meanwhile, fuel supplies to the valley remained suspended for the fifth day Saturday as oil tankers’ associations refused to bring in fuel supplies from winter capital Jammu demanding compensation for the damage suffered by them during protests in Kashmir and security cover in future.

Most petrol pumps, especially in central Kashmir Badgam district, have been running dry for the last two days.

Separatist Hurriyat group headed by Syed Ali Geelani has asked people to resume normal life Sunday in order to buy essential supplies.