Police, doctor differ on cause of death of civilian post Eid celebrations

Doctors said Sheeraz Ahmed had been hit by pump action gun bullets in his neck and chest.

Doctors and the police differed on the cause of death of a youth in violence after Eid prayers in Anantnag in South Kashmir on Saturday. The police claimed 20-year-old Sheeraz Ahmed was killed when a grenade exploded in his hand, but doctors said he had been hit by pump action gun bullets in the neck and chest, The Indian Express reported.

Nearly two dozen people were injured in violence after Eid prayers in several parts of Kashmir on Saturday. Clashes between protestors and security forces were reported in Shopian, Srinagar, Pulwama, Sopore and Kupwara.

Protests broke out after Eid prayers at Ashajipora in Anantnag. Protesting youth allegedly threw stones at security forces. The police used tear gas shells and pellet guns to disperse the crowd, reported the Hindustan Times. Ahmed was killed during the clashes.

“Most of the youths [who were brought to the hospital] had pellet injuries,” Anantnag District Hospital medical superintendent Dr Majeed Mehrab told The Indian Express. He said 23 youths other than Ahmed, and some policemen, were brought to hospital with injuries. Nine people were taken to Shri Maharaja Hasi Singh Hospital in Srinagar by 1 pm, according to Greater Kashmir.

Dr Saleem Tak of the Srinagar hospital said that 12 people from various parts of the Kashmir Valley were admitted on Saturday. “All of them have been hit by pellets,” he said. “Seven of them have been hit in their eyes.”

In Shopian, seven protestors were injured in similar clashes between security forces and civilians.One person was injured in clashes in Safakadal area of Srinagar soon after the prayers, PTI reported, quoting a police official.

Army major involved in human shield row detained with woman at Srinagar hotel

Major Leetul Gogoi, the Rashtriya Rifles officer who shot to fame after tying a Kashmiri civilian to the front of his jeep to perceptibly prevent stone-pelting attacks, was detained by the police on Wednesday in circumstances that are still unclear.

Also detained with him was a woman and a local man. The woman was initially suspected to be a minor but the police later confirmed she was over 18 years of age. They, however, did not share details on her age.

According to the police, they were summoned to Grand Mamta Hotel, where Gogoi had booked a room in his own name (the booking had been done online). The two locals came to the hotel and asked to go up to Gogoi’s room and got into an altercation with the hotel staff when they were not allowed. The hotel staff called the police.

Gogoi has been released and has rejoined his unit, police said, adding that the two locals were still being questioned.

“A police party was deputed to the hotel, and it surfaced that a woman and a man, Sameer Ahmed of Budgam, had come to see some person in the hotel. The hotel reception didn’t allow them to meet the person. All three were brought to the police station,” said a police spokesperson.

He added that they later learnt that the woman had come to meet an army officer.

North Srinagar’s superintendent of police Sajad Ahmad Shah declined to name the army officer, but the hotel management said the booking was in the name of Leetul Gogoi, a resident of Tinsukia, Assam. “What we know is that a man and a woman had come to meet him. The hotel staff did not allow them, leading to an altercation,’’ Shah added.

“The room was booked online. A person came along with a local girl and sought (to go to) the room. Our hotel manager asked him for his identity and the identity of the girl. The girl was a local and according to our hotel policy we don’t provide rooms to local unmarried couples,’’ said the hotel owner, Manzoor Ahmad.

A person familiar with the matter said that Gogoi claimed he had booked the room to meet with a “source”, although this is highly irregular and not in keeping with army procedures. Hindustan Times couldn’t independently confirm this.

Last April, during by-elections for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, Major Gogoi had tied a civilian, Farooq Ahmad Dar, to a bonnet of his jeep as a human shield to deter stone-pelters from targeting his troops. The incident led to a massive human rights controversy. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat awarded Gogoi a commendation card for his “sustained efforts” on counter-insurgency operations.
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