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Kashmir : Civilians killed in mistaken identity |
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Three civilians were killed in two separate incidents of mistaken identity by the Army in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, triggering anger against the alleged high-handedness of the security forces. The incident coincided with a general strike in the Kashmir Valley against the killing of a student leader at Dalgate in Srinagar.
The Army has regretted the killings and promised to compensate the next of kin of the deceased. The district administration has ordered the police to file a case against the troops responsible for the killing.
A 43-year-old villager Mohiuddin Tantray was on his way to a nearby forest to fetch firewood with his niece 14-year-old Rubeena Akhtar before dawn at Chihlbasti village in Drugmulla pocket of Kupwara. A 33-Rashtriya Rifles party that had laid ambush in the area found their movement suspicious. A Defence spokesman said the troops signalled the duo to stop but they refused and tried to flee. The troops opened fire and both were killed on the spot.
The incident has caused embarrassment to the State Government as also the security forces for the second time during the week. Earlier on August 9, CRPF personnel killed a student leader Ghulam Muhammad Shaikh at Dalgate area in Srinagar.
Top Harkat-ul Mujahideen militant killed
Police and the CRPF have killed Salman Bhatti alias Mast Gul, a notorious militant and commander of the Harkat-ul Mujahideen in South Kashmir. An official spokesman said Bhatti, a resident of Dera Ismail Khan in Pakistan, was killed during a joint operation in Neeldora Shopian.
“He was responsible for scores of killings in the area and let loose a reign of terror,” he said. A Harkat spokesman confirmed Bhatti’s death, but said his associates managed to escape.
Amarnath yatra ends
Amid charges of tampering with the Amarnath shrine, the two-month long pilgrimage to the cave in South Kashmir ended on Wednesday, August 8. Nearly 3,00,000 devotees paid obeisance.
A special puja was performed after Mahant Dipindra Giri took the holy mace to the cave, which stands at an altitude of 3,880 metres. Governor Lt. Gen (retd.) S. K. Sinha, who is also Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, was present.
“The yatra concluded without any incident. It was a smooth affair, which was possible due to the close co-ordination between the various agencies,” Abdul Gani Mir, Senior Superintendent of Police, Anantnag, said. There were two grenade attacks on the pilgrims during the event, leaving a dozen wounded. Militants, however, denied the claims of the police that they were responsible for the attacks.
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