Srinagar, November 22
Public anger swept across the north Kashmir town of Baramulla as two persons, including a 15-year-old youth playing cricket who became a collateral casualty when PSOs of a candidate fired at a stone-throwing anti-election mob, were killed in firing from police and CRPF. More that 15 persons were injured including three from bullets, official sources said.
Another man died when an angry and violent mob accompanying the body of the deceased, Manzoor Ahmad, was fired upon by security forces, further fuelling the anger as the district administration restricted public movement in the sensitive town which is going to polls on December 7.
Official sources said a crowd collected around the cavalcade of Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, Congress candidate from Baramulla, and began hurling stones. At the same time, a group of youngsters, including Manzoor Ahmad, playing cricket in a nearby school was leaving the ground. Manzoor studied in Class 12.
As the crowd turned violent, Mir’s security guards fired upon it and a bullet hit Manzoor, killing him on the spot. Two more youngsters have suffered bullet injuries, locals claimed, but police refused to confirm their claims.
A close aide of Mir denied that their cavalcade was at the
spot.
A defensive-sounding police said it was probing the matter, an official saying the guards were in private vehicles.
As the news of Manzoor’s death spread, hundreds of people took to the streets. Police and CRPF men fired on the volatile crowd accompanying his Manzoor’s body for burial. One Tariq Ahmad suffered bullet injuries and died in hospital. Three more protesters were injured.
Baramulla is under a virtual curfew, especially in its old parts which is paticularly sensitive. These areas ring to anti-election and pro-freedom slogans.
