Conflict

Shopian Bloodbath: Amid massive protests, people demand removal of Army camp

Pulwama: The villagers of Pinjoora and Pahnoo areas on Tuesday held massive protests and demanded the removal of the army camp located in Pinjoora.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the house of slain youth  Suhail Khaleel Wagay who was killed in the Shopian firing incident.

Meanwhile, clashes erupted between protestors and forces near DC office in the district. Scores of youth took to streets and clashed with the forces deployed in the area. Forces in response lobbed tear smoke shells to disperse the protesting youth.

On Sunday, two militants and four civilians, who the army claimed were overground workers (OGWs) of militants were killed after the militants fired on a mobile vehicle check post (MVCP) of 54 Rashtriya Rifles.

However, the villagers refuted the army claim and said the four slain men were civilians.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said that she was deeply distressed due to the civilian killings in Shopian. The chief minister tweeted her condolences to the families of the people who were ‘caught in cross fire’.

The various business communities of the valley also reacted to the killings. The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry in a statement said that the incident, probably is a ‘fake encounter’.  While the Kashmir Economic Alliance called it a ‘strategic genocide’.  

The Jammat-e-Islami in it’s statement said that the incident proves that the Indian Army is immune from every legal and moral accountability. The Joint Resistance leadership has called for ‘Shopian Chalo’ on March 7. They have also called for a complete shutdown too.

In their statement, the JRL said that the ‘Indian trigger happy forces and police are deployed to kill Kashmiris and pro-India politicians and political parties especially RSS backed Mehbooba regime is deployed to provide a legal cover to these killers.’

Earlier in the day talking to reporters in Jammu, the DPG while commenting on the return of a youth from militant ranks to his family, expressed hope that more women would make an appeal for their sons’ return.

“You have seen six bodies are lying (in Shopian). Taking up arms or joining terrorism only lead to loss of life and nothing can be achieved,” he said.

Click to comment
To Top