SOPORE, April 17: Soon after the protest march against Asifa’s murder began in Sopore on Tuesday, intense clashes erupted between students and security forces inside the Government Degree College campus here.
Eyewitness told Kashmir Images that a number of college students held a protest rally inside the premises of GDC Sopore against the rape and murder of Asifa.
When the protesting students tried to march towards the main market Sopore they were stopped by the security forces who were already deployed outside the college.
The eyewitnesses said that students raised slogans demanding death penalty for the culprits involved in the gruesome murder and rape of the little girl.
“The police requested the students to disperse peacefully but most of students did not respond and instead pelted stones on the forces and their vehicles that compelled the police to respond by firing smoke shells at the protesting students,” said a police official in the town.
Speaking to Kashmir Images, Principal Government Degree College Sopore Mushtaq Ahmad said: “We were held hostage for a day as the police fired number of teargas shells inside the college campus”. He further said that they contacted higher officials requesting them for rescue but to no avail.
The Principal said that all exams which were scheduled for today (Tuesday) were postponed, however externals of some subjects were conducted before the protests started.
Sources said that two civilians were injured outside the college campus who were later shifted to Sub District Hospital Sopore for treatment.
Block Medical Officer Dr Sami told Kashmir Images that two injured persons, one male and another female, were brought to the hospital. “Both the injured are stable and might be discharged by this evening,” said Dr Sami.
Despite repeated attempts, Senior Superintendent of Police Sopore Harmeet Singh Mehta did not respond to the calls of this reporter.
