Troops kill 13 youth in South Kashmir

Srinagar, April 01, 2018 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops in their fresh acts of state terrorism martyred 13 civilians and injured as many as 100 in Islamabad and Shopian districts, today. The youth were killed during cordon and search operations, launched by Indian forces in the two districts of South Kashmir. Seven of the martyrs were killed in Dragad and four in Kachdoora areas of Shopian district. Two civilians identified as Jan Mohammad Lone and Zubair Ahmad Butt were succumbed to their injuries in hospital.

Jan Muhammad Lone was a resident of Braipora, Shopian, while Zubair Ahmad Butt belonged to Gopalpora, Kulgam. Earlier, forces killed a youth identified as Rouf Bashir Khanday in an overnight operation at Dialgam in Islamabad district. Names of some other martyred youth include Yawar Itoo, Nazim Nazir, Adil Thokar, Ubair Shafi Malla, Rais Thokar, Ishafaq Malik and Zubair Turay. Police said that Mushtaq Ahmad Thokar was picked up by the Indian army last night. The troops took him to the Shopian area and killed him in custody, today. Police further said that two Indian soldiers were killed during the operation in Shopian distric, todayt.

Meanwhile, around 100 civilians were injured when Indian forces used brute force and fired pellets and bullets on protesters in Draged and Kachdora areas. Medical Superintendent (MS) District Hospital Shopian, Dr Shafat informed media that they received over 50 injured. Many of them were shifted to Srinagar hospitals for further treatment.

“We are unable to maintain the record of the injured because of the heavy rush,” Dr Shafat said. Independent sources say that the number of injured youth may exceed 100. At least ten youth in the age group of 16 to 26 with eye pellet injuries were brought to SMHS hospital Srinagar from Shopian.

Indian police in a statement claimed that the youth were killed in gunfights. However, locals refuted the police claim saying that all the youth were killed either in fake encounters or during protests. The authorities have suspended train and Internet services in South Kashmir districts following the killings.

On the other hand, a two-day shutdown is being observed across the occupied territory from, today, against the killings. Call for the strike has been given by the Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.

For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
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Email: info@kmsnews.org
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