Protests rock Soibugh against arrests, alleged beating of youth by army
Srinagar, May 26: The residents of Soibugh village in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Sunday held a protest against the arrests and alleged beating of youth by the Army on Friday following the killing of militant commander Zakir Musa.
Reports said that the soldiers of Army camp at adjoining Daharmuna village detained seven youth on Friday after the youth pelted them with stones following the reports of killing of Musa.
Local news gathering agency GNS said the residents staged a protest against the arrest of seven teenage boys, two of whom were let off allegedly in injured condition by the Army.
One of the injured has been referred from SMHS Hospital to SKIMS Soura and his condition is stated to be critical.
The protesters said that when they urged army to release the minor boys they were told that they have been handed over to police.
“We requested army to release these boys being very young but instead they kept them captive. Last night two of them, Fazil Fayaz Malik (14), son of Fayaz Ahmad Malik of Hatharan Soibugh, and Hamidullah Sheikh, son of Gulzar Ahmad Sheikh of Dharmuna, were handed over to the respective families in critical condition,” the report said while quoting a protester.
Both of them were shifted to nearby hospital from where Fazil was shifted to SMHS Hospital while Hamidullah was referred to JVC Bemina.
Owing to critical injuries in head, Fazil was later referred to SKIMS Soura for advanced treatment.
The doctors told us that there is coagulation of blood in his head and he was immediately operated upon. The doctors told us that next 72 hours are crucial for Fazil, his relatives, who were part of the protest, said.
Medical Superintendent, SKIMS Dr Farooq Jan when contacted by the GNS said that the condition of the boy is very critical and he is presently on ventilator with double support.
“He is very critical. Basically he had head injury and contusion in brain which has been evacuated. Presently he is on ventilator but on double support,” Dr Jan said.
When contacted concerned Station House Officer (SHO) Mohammad Rafiq Shah told GNS that army handed over three boys to the police who are very much with them.
Asked about allegations by the locals that two boys were beaten to pulp by the army before being handed over to their respective families, the officer said that “details in this regard are being ascertained”.
Army’s Srinagar based spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia told GNS that he will look into the incident. “Since you have brought the incident into my notice I will see to it,” the spokesman said.
PDP condemns ‘army highhandedness’
Srinagar, May 26: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday condemned the arrest of seven teenage boys, two of whom were allegedly let off in injured condition by the Army.
As per the reports, one of the injured has been referred from SMHS Hospital to SKIMS Soura and his condition is stated to be critical.
In a statement issued here, PDP general secretary Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura said that the highhandedness of the security forces against innocent civilians is unacceptable and it must stop without further delay.
He added that such intimidation will only increase anger, alienation and frustration among the people and that the already crises ridden situation will turn further catastrophic.
Hanjura urged the Governor to intervene and issue stern directions to forces not to harass civilians and choke the left-out democratic space any further in the Valley.
Srinagar, May 26: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday condemned the arrest of seven teenage boys, two of whom were allegedly let off in injured condition by the Army.
Kashmir Images is an English language daily newspaper published from Srinagar (J&K), India. The newspaper is one of the largest circulated English dailies of Kashmir and its hard copies reach every nook and corner of Kashmir Valley besides Jammu and Ladakh region.
