One youth was killed and three other youths were injured when security forces allegedly opened fire to disperse demonstrators at Narbal on the Srinagar-Baramulla Road today. The slain youth has been identified as 16-year-old 10th class student Suhail Ahmad Sofi of Narbal, Budgam.
District administration has ordered magisterial inquiry into the incident and case registered in the concerned police station. Informed sources said that few hundred people, mostly youths, this morning blocked the main road at Narbal, around 15 kms from Srinagar and were protesting against the Tral killings and arrest of Masrat Alam and other separatist leaders while raising anti-India and pro-freedom slogans.
The security forces allegedly opened fire near Narbal Ghat to disperse the demonstrators who resorted to stone pelting. Three youths were reported to have been injured in the firing with one of them, identified as Suhail Ahmad Sofi sustaining critical injuries and succumbed to injuries in hospital in Srinagar. Stone pelting in Narbal area was going on till last reports came in.
Meanwhile, J&K Police statement said that the preliminary enquiry conducted in the matter indicates that the forces deployed have acted in violation of the laid down Standard Operation Procedure. Police have registered FIR and further action has been initiated in this regard.
Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani had called for Kashmir-wide strike today to protest against alleged fake Tral killings by Army at Kamla forest in Tral area of Pulwama on April 13, 2015 and also arrest of separatist leaders.