SRINAGAR, 14 June 2006 — A general strike against the desecration of a mosque allegedly by the Indian Army and the killing of a class 10 student paralyzed life in Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar and other valley towns yesterday. The strike call was given by Umar Farooq, chairman of the moderate faction of the separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC).
Markets in Srinagar city and major towns remained closed even as work in government offices suffered badly due to the strike call. Educational institutions and banks also worked with hiccups though some private transport plied on Srinagar roads which otherwise gave a deserted look.
According to the parents of Javaid Ahmad Malik, the standard 10 student killed in the firing by the Indian paramilitary forces in Trehgam village of the north Kashmir border district of Kupwara, he had gone out of his house to look for a mason.
When Javaid was breathing his last in Srinagar city’s SMHS Hospital, his last words were, “My mother wanted me to be a doctor. I am sorry I have betrayed her aspirations. I cannot keep the promise because the troops have killed me.” More than 10,000 Kashmiris came out wailing and weeping to attend the funeral of Javaid even though authorities had imposed curfew in Trehgam village where the boy was finally laid to rest. The mourners raised high pitch slogans against the security forces whom they blamed for the murder of the innocent village boy.
Javaid was critically wounded yesterday when troops opened fire on a mob protesting against the desecration of a mosque at nearby Zirhama village.
The strike coincided with the general protests against the desecration of the mosque in Zirhama village of the Kupwara district where locals alleged that the soldiers of the Indian Army entered a local mosque wearing jackboots. Residents of the village also blamed the soldiers for desecration of copies of the Holy Qur’an.
