Mehbooba Mufti turned away from house of slain youth

Opposition Peoples Democratic Party leaders, including its president Mehbooba Mufti, were today turned away by the crowd from the residence of Ashiq Hussain who was killed allegedly in army firing on Friday.

Accompanied by former minister Dilawar Mir and others, Mehbooba had gone to offer condolences to the family of the 22-year-old youth killed in army firing, official sources said.

However, the local residents did not allow the politicians to enter the house, saying they will not allow any politics over the death, they said.

Meanwhile, PDP in a statement here said the leaders were prevented by a group of angry young men from entering the home even though the family pleaded not to obstruct them.

"The young men were agitating against the atrocities committed by police last night by using teargas shells and lathis to beat the protestors including women and children," the party claimed.

Mehbooba and Mir, however, had a meeting with the father of the deceased and other family members, it said.

While Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered a magisterial probe into the killing, Army has initiated an internal inquiry into the incident.