2 killed in police firing on protesters, probe ordered

Srinagar, June 29 (PTI) Two persons were killed and
scores of others injured Monday as police opened fire to
disperse violent protesters agitating against alleged police
misbehaviour with a woman in Baramulla in India's northernmost
state of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting authorities to clamp an
indefinite curfew and order a magisterial probe.

Mohammad Saleem Wani, 20, a marketing executive with
a private telecom company, and Tariq Ahmad Malik were killed
as police opened fire after teargas shelling and baton charge
failed to disperse hundreds of violent protesters who took to
streets demanding action against those involved in the alleged
incident in the north Kashmir town, 55 kms from here.

The trouble started in the town Sunday evening when
groups of youths indulged in stone pelting after a woman came
out of the local police station and alleged that the policemen
had misbehaved with her. Police, however, denied her charge.

Two others Amir Rashid and Javid Ahmad also received
bullet injuries and were said to be in critical condition.
They were undergoing treatment at Soura Medical Institute.

The clash also left local Station House Officer
Mohammad Abdullah injured.

"We have also ordered a probe to investigate the
firing and the allegations of the woman," Deputy Commissioner
Baramulla Latif-u-zaman Deva told PTI. The probe would be
conducted by the Additional Deputy Commissioner who will
submit the report within 10 days.

"Curfew has been imposed in the town to maintain law
and order," he said, adding "we are monitoring the situation
which is very tense."

Rejecting the woman's charge, a police spokesman said
her husband Mohammad Yousuf Bhat was picked up for questioning
in connection with the abduction of a teenaged girl by the
woman's brother.

"The woman came to the police station and sought
release of her husband. She threatened to end her life when
police asked her politely to leave the police station and
produce her brother," the spokesman said adding the woman left
the police station and made the allegations against the
police.

Thousands of people assembled at Wani's residence and
later took out a procession. Carrying the body, the mourners
returned to the old town after police did not allow them to
proceed towards the Deputy Commissioner's office and announced
imposition of curfew through the public address system.

Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in
strength to strictly implement the curfew in the town.
However, clashes were continuing at several places in
old town and Srinagar-Uri National highway near the town till
evening. PTI