SRINAGAR: Police in Kashmir yesterday said the government soldiers opened fire on hundreds of stone-throwing Muslims protesting against elections, killing two people and seriously wounding 10 others. Two youths were killed when India’s paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers opened fire in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town, 55 km from here yesterday.
Friday’s massive anti-India and anti-poll demonstrations had prompted the district administration to impose strict curfew-like restrictions in the Baramulla town yesterday morning.
A senior police officer said that in the first incident, the armed escort of the Congress candidate for Baramulla, Mir Mushtaq, fired at stone-pelting protesters in Khanpora locality of the town in which one youth identified as Manzoor Ahmad Kumar, a class tenth student, was killed on the spot as a bullet pierced his chest.
As the news of the death of Kumar spread, thousands of protesters gathered in the main square of the town and carried the body of the slain youth to the old Baramulla town area breaking curfew restrictions.
The CRPF fired at the protesters after clashes broke out in various localities of Baramulla between the security forces and the agitated protesters. A senior police officer confirmed another youth was killed in the CRPF firing in the old town area of Baramulla yesterday afternoon. The youth identified as Tanvir Ahmad Sheikh, a local auto-rickshaw driver died on the spot.
High tension has gripped the Baramulla town as additional re-enforcements of paramilitary and police were rushed into the town to restore order, a day ahead of the second phase of polling. The state will have a seven-phased poll and a new elected government by the New Year.
