SRINAGAR: Life was disrupted here by a bandh in protest against the killing of five alleged by the Army at Draigam, in Budgam district, after the Friday prayers last week.
‘According to sources, the Army has ordered an inquiry into the recent incident in which security forces cordoned off the area of Draigam, where the Shrine of Sheikh Nooruddin Wali is located. A large number of devotees had gathered at the site to offer prayers.
Eyewitnesses said that the security forces cordoned off the area immediately after Friday prayers and asked the menfolk to assemble atone place, However, militants fired on the Army while it was conducting search operations, ‘The eyewitnesses said that the security personnel then indulged in indiscriminate retaliatory fire, killing two persons, one of them on the spot, and injuring over a dozen others.
According to the police version, at the conclusion of Friday prayers at Draigam, militants fired on the security force personnel and in the exchange of fire one person was killed and three others injured. One of the injured later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. The bandh call was given by the JKLF faction of Shabir Ahmad Siddiqui. All shops and business establishments and educational institutions remained closed in response to the call, with only skeletal transport ‘on the roads.
A spokesman of the JKLF alleged that at least five persons were killed and 40 others injured in the indiscriminate firing by the Army after the people refused to parade before the security force informers and raised slogans.
Elsewhere in the valley, at least 11 persons, including four security men and a district commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, were killed in militancy related incidents.
‘Two security men were killed in an encounter with the militants in Kupwara district, where a militant was also killed, Two security forces personnel were killed in Udhampur ‘district A district commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen was killed in an explosion in a private school building at Nowgam here.
An official spokesman said militants shot dead one Abdul Khan in the frontier district, while the body of a ‘woman has recovered from the forest in the same district. ‘He said another body was recovered from Bhaderwah last Tuesday. Militants attacked a security force patrol party with automatic weapons and hand grenades at Handwara last week.
The security forces retaliated and in the ensuing gun battle one militant and a security person were killed. Two security men and a militant were killed In a fierce encounter at Chennai, on the Srinagar Jammu highway. The spokesman said 17 migrants houses were gutted in a devastating fire in the old city, the cause of the fire was not known.
‘He said security forces captured five: militants, including a self-styled section commander, and recovered some arms and ammunition in the valley during the period.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 1, 1995
