SRINAGAR, Aug.1: The killing of an eight year old schoolboy and his parents by BSF men here sparked off angry protests in downtown areas and led to the imposition of a curfew by the authorities, early this week.
Angry crowds took to the streets, shouting anti-India and pro-independence slogans, The police Opened fire at a few places to disperse the unruly mobs but when the situation became unmanageable and the number of protesters began curfew in areas under four police stations. According to reports, the BSF ten had entered a lane in the Daribal locality in pursuit of militants who had fired at their bunkers. They mistook Bilal, who had just returned from school for a militant and allegedly shot him dead in the compound of his house. The BSF men reportedly thought the Bilal was holding a grenade while actually he had a steel utensil for buying curds in his hand. When his parents, Abdul Rashid Dar and Haja rushed out and tried to “assault” the BSF men, they too, were allegedly shot dead.
According to E.N.Ram Mohan, Inspector General of the BSF, Kashmir Range, a court of inquiry has been constituted to probe the incident and strong action will be taken against those guilty. The police has meanwhile, registered a case of murder against a Sub Inspector and a constable of the BSF, However residents complained that this was a ploy to keep the situation of the public away from the Daribal incident and to prevent them from joining protests.
The curfew has been imposed in areas falling under the Khanyar, M.R.Gung, Safakadal and Nowhatta police station, Shops and commercial establishments in other areas also remained closed and traffic was off the roads. Meanwhile, the platoon of the BSF men who were involved in the incident has been shifted and the BSF personnel have been asked to remain confined to their bunkers.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 6, 1993
