CRPF opens fire on mourners
8 Sustain Bullet Injuries, 40 Wounded In Clashes
MAGISTERIAL PROBE ORDERED
KHALID GUL
Redwani (Kulgam) Feb 16: At least eight persons were wounded, four of them critically, when paramilitary CRPF troopers opened fire on the funeral procession of slain militants in this south Kashmir village on Tuesday. Nearly 40 persons, including 10 police and 10 CRPF men, were wounded in daylong clashes in the area, which erupted after CRPF firing.
CRPF OPENS FIRES
Authorities had deployed hundreds of police and CRPF men around Redwani, Rampora, Buchura and Khudwani villages to prevent people from participating in the funeral procession of the slain militants, Maulvi Ashraf of Rampura and Rauf Ahmad of Redwani. The duo was killed in a gunfight with troops on Monday in Thokerpora village at Qaimoh.
“Despite restrictions hundreds of people came out of their homes to participate in the funeral prayers. As the people were carrying the body of one of the slain militants, Rauf Ahmed, towards the local graveyard at Rampura, CRPF men intercepted the funeral procession near Redwani and resorted to indiscriminate firing,” witnesses told Greater Kashmir.
They said in the “unprovoked firing” at least eight mourners sustained bullet injuries. “The injured were rushed to a hospital where doctors described the condition of the four wounded persons as critical,” locals said.
40 INJURED IN CLASHES
As the word about CRPF opening fire on the mourners spread in the area, residents of Redwani and other adjoining villages took to the streets and fought pitched battles with the CRPF and policemen. “In the daylong clashes at least 40 persons, including 10 policemen and 10 CRPF men were wounded,” said a police official.
The slain militants were laid to eternal rest at a local graveyard amid clashes, witnesses said.