Neelofar Jan, a mother of four, became the third person to have died in the firing by the army troops at Qazigund in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
The death toll in the current wave of violence in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 44 after a woman, who had sustained grievous injuries at Churat village of Qazigund earlier on Monday, succumbed at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) late in the night.
Neelofar Jan, a mother of four, became the third person to have died in the firing by the army troops at Qazigund in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Four other people sustained injuries in the incident. “She was brought dead last evening,” said Dr Farooq A Jan, superintendent of SKIMS
Feeling the heat, the army regretted the loss of civilian lives and ordered inquiry into the incident. In fact, the army has taken a lead in ordering a probe into any incident of firing since the unrest began.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had promised to investigate any excessive use of force but has not ordered any formal probe despite the fact that 44 lives have been lost and over 2,100 people suffered injuries.
Colonel NN Joshi, defence spokesman at Srinagar, said the army deeply regrets the unfortunate loss of life in the incident at Churat where the troops were forced to open fire on Monday, when a large mob turned violent resorting to heavy stone-pelting and attempted to snatch weapons from the soldiers.
“Army today appealed to the people to maintain peace and refrain from attacking security forces or their vehicles or establishments thus creating situations where the security forces are left with no option but to retaliate in self defence,” said Colonel Joshi.
The army also pledged to provide all possible assistance to the bereaved families and to the persons injured in the unfortunate incident. “An inquiry has been ordered into the incident”, said Colonel Joshi.
Qazigund killings came on the day when Union home minister Rajnath Singh told Parliament that he has instructed the forces to exercise maximum restraint while dealing with the situation in Kashmir.
Curfew remained imposed in most parts of the valley to prevent any escalation in the protests and street violence for the 11th day on Tuesday.
Of the 2,115 persons injured during the prevailing law and order situation, 1,924 have been discharged from the hospitals while 191 are still undergoing treatment including 70 persons with eye injuries.
For the fourth day, Kashmir woke up to the morning without newspapers. Mehbooba Mufti government though shifted SSP Budgam Fayaz Ahmad Lone in an apparent bid to deflect the blame of raiding the newspaper offices on him, the editors and owners were not convinced and decided not to resume publication unless government accepts the ban and issues a statement guaranteeing that media operations will not be hampered.
“The ban was formalised by the senior cabinet minister and state government spokesman saying that against the backdrop of strict curfew restrictions across Kashmir, the movement of newspaper staff and distribution of newspapers will become impossible,” said a spokesman of the owners and editors of Kashmir newspapers after the meeting on Tuesday
Editors’ statement comes on the day when minister of information and broadcasting Venkaiah Naidu said Mehbooba has assured him that there is no ban (on the publication of newspapers). “She assured me there is no such ban,” Naidu told reporters.
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