Mourners assaulted, 18 injured in Srinagar

Srinagar, May 20:  In Srinagar, at least 18 people were injured by troops when police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force personnel resorted to cane-charge and fired dozens of tear-gas canisters to disperse the people when hundreds of men and women were protesting against the custodial death of father of three Manzoor Ahmad Beigh, 40, son of late Abdul Ahad Beigh of Aloochi Bagh at Aloochi Bagh in Srinagar

“We’ll continue to register our protests against the custodial killing of Beigh. Brute use of force by police cannot deter us,” a protester, identifying himself as Javed Ahmad, was quoted as saying by PBI news agency.  “Beigh was killed in cold-blood by the police. We demand punishment for the killer cops,” he added. Ahmad said that Beigh was running the business of used cars and was not remotely connected with militancy.

The local people said that police entered the residential houses, ransacked those and beat the inmates. They even entered the tent, where the members of bereaved family and the people, offering condolences to them, had gathered. The cops resorted to lathi-charge there also.

Farhat a protester said, "In the morning CRPF and police did not allow us to go for prayers. The residents of the locality could not move out of their homes. After few hours heavy deployment of CRPF was witnessed on the roads. Without any reason they barged inside the homes and went on rampage. They destroyed goods worth thousands in my neighbour's home".

Aftab, another angry youth said, "When CRPF and police entered our home they started abusing my mother and sister".
 
Khurshid Ahmad, an eyewitness said that CRPF troops beat the mourners with bamboo sticks.