Kashmir toll at 74 after teenager’s death, all-party team concludes visit

Mangalore Today News Network

Kashmir, Sep 06, 2016: A 17-year-old boy who was allegedly injured in clashes with security forces died in Kashmir on Monday even as an all-party delegation left the Valley without meeting the separatists considered vital to ending the two-month unrest that has now left 74 people dead.

Musaib Majeed Nagoo, a resident of north Kashmir’s Sopore town, was wounded on Sunday and died at Srinagar’s Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital. The teenager had a head injury and was put on ventilator support after surgery.

“He had a depressed fracture probably caused by a tear gas shell,” said SMHS superintendent Dr Nazir Choudhary.

Violent street protests erupted in the Valley after a militant leader was killed in a gun fight with security forces on July 8 in southern Kashmir. Stone-throwing mobs have clashed with security forces, causing injuries on both sides.

Normal life has been disrupted with separatists’ calling a strike and authorities imposing a curfew to check the violence.

More violence was reported Monday as a mob set on fire the house of a policeman after security forces tried to disperses a mob holding a rally in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. Twenty people were injured.

The policeman whose house was torched was part of the group that was trying to control the mob in Zangalpora village, sources said. The locals got angry after security forces raided the protest rally venue in the morning, residents said.

Clashes were also reported from some places in summer capital Srinagar as well. Security forces used tear shells to break up a group marching to join a “pro-freedom” rally in Bagh-e-Mehtab Machoo area of Srinagar.

The all-party delegation led by home minister Rajnath Singh was in the Valley for two days to assess the ground situation and look for ways to end the violence.

With the Hurriyat Conference leader refusing to meet the team of politicians, the Centre and the state will have to come up with new measures to restore calm in the Valley.

Analysts say some confidence-building measures will have to be taken immediately to bridge the trust deficit. Lifting of curfew, a ban on pellet guns that have caused eye injuries and release of Hurriyat leaders could help defuse the situation, they say.