A youth was crushed to death by a speeding paramilitary CRPF vehicle near Jamia Masjid, Srinagar on Friday. Kaiser Bhat, 21, of Fateh-a- Kadal has been identified as the dead person. Another youth also sustained injuries after being run over by the vehicle.
The deceased youth is survived by two teenage sisters and had recently started Kashmir art business. He along with his sisters was living with his aunt in Dalgate for the past four years as both his parents had died.
Greater Kashmir reported quoting a witness said, “After the prayers young boys assembled outside the mosque and staged a peaceful demonstration against the last Friday’s police action inside Jamia Masjid. Soon a CRPF vehicle that came from Khanyar drove into the mob of over 500 people. The boys got agitated on the vehicle’s presence and it led to fierce clashes”
The CRPF vehicle, according to several eyewitnesses, in order to wriggle out of the mob sped on, knocking down two boys Younis Ahmed s/o Nisar Ahmed, and Kasier Bhat. They were rushed to SKIMS. “Kaiser had suffered internal injuries,” a hospital source said. The images of the boys being overrun by the CRPF vehicle went viral on social media, evoking sharp reactions with many mocking at the ‘truce plan’ offered by the police.
Meanwhile, former chief minister and leader of the main opposition National Conference Omar Abdullah expressed anguish over the incident saying.
Earlier they tied people to the fronts of jeeps & paraded them around villages to deter protestors now they just drive their jeeps right over protestors. Is this your new SOP @MehboobaMufti sahiba? Ceasefire means no guns so use jeeps? https://t.co/42W6vGAPVi
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 1, 2018