By News Agency of Kashmir
Srinagar : A civilian was killed while twenty five others, including a Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir police and a dozen cops, were injured in a clash between police and protestors, who were demanding setting up a government degree college in Magam area of Kashmir’s Budgam district.
Situation turned ugly in the area when police allegedly opened fire on the protestors injuring four civilians, one of whom later succumbed to his injuries on way to the hospital.
It was learnt that people took to street in Magam village, Saturday morning, when they came to know that the state cabinet, which met in Jammu on Friday did not sanctioned a degree college for the area. The government sanctioned eighteen new colleges for various areas of the state.
Sources quoting eye witness told News Agency of Kashmir that people held protest demonstrations chanting slogans against government and demanding Degree College. The protest was peaceful till a heavy contingent of police stopped it and asked the villagers to disperse.
“Police resorted to cane-charge on the protestors, who responded with stone pelting”, an eyewitness claimed. Some police personnel allegedly opened nozzles of their guns and fired several rounds towards the protestors injuring four.
Panic gripped the village after the firing, reports reaching here revealed adding, the villagers rushed the injured to a local hospital, where one of the wounded civilians succumbed to his injuries.
The deceased was identified as Zahoor Ahmad Mir son of Ghulam Hyder Mir of Magam Budgam and other injured were identified as Muhammad Yousf, Muhammad Younis and Muhammad Yaqoob Malla.
Eyewitnesses further told NAK that soon after the firing incident people went berserk and set attacked the police personnel with bricks and stones. The ding dong battle, which continued for more than two hours, led to the injuries to more than twenty five persons, including a DySP and dozen other police personnel. A Police constable lost his riffle when he was over powered by some youth who beat him with sticks and blows. He was set free by his colleagues and was shifted to SKIMS, where he is battling for his life, sources said. To take revenge people also set a police gypsy on fire.
The other two critically injured who also receive bullet injuries were shifted to SKIMS where their condition was stated to be critical.
“We were promised by the government that Nagam will be given a Degree College along with others”, Chairman Nagam Development forum told NAK adding we have decided to continue our protest till our long pending demand is not fulfilled.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Range SM Sahai when contacted told NAK that police resorted to cane-charge when people attacked police personnel. He said that at least six assault rifles have been snatched by the protestors from the cops.
Meanwhile, Police spokesman quoting SSP Budgam S.A.H Bukhari who was on the spot told NAK that one person died and five others were injured, in the village.
“Some of the miscreants in the agitators indulged in arson and damaged an SRTC bus by setting it on fire. There was an incident of weapon snatching also in which one of the constable was injured seriously and his weapon was taken away, which subsequently resulted into injuries to six persons”, he added.