Curfew in Srinagar after man’s death in firing

Srinagar : Following the tension that gripped Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir after a 24-year-old man was killed in CRPF troopers’ firing, the authorities announced curfew in the city, beginning Wednesday midnight.

Altaf Ahmad Wani, 24, was killed in Saidapora area of Srinagar when Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers opened fire when stones were allegedly pelted by a mob on their vehicle.

V.S. Yadav, inspector general CRPF, told IANS a vehicle carrying CRPF personnel for donating blood for a colleague, injured in a guerrilla attack elsewhere in the city during the day, came under stone pelting by a mob after which the troopers opened fire in self-defence.

Area residents refuted the CRPF version alleging that the firing had been unprovoked as there was no stone pelting when the CRPF vehicle passed through the area.

Jammu and Kashmir assembly Speaker Mubarak Gul, who represents the Eidgah assembly constituency, said the slain man was associated with the ruling National Conference and had no connection with any separatist group.

Nasir Aslam Wani, provincial president of the NC, said the man was killed in cold blood and a judicial probe should be ordered into the firing incident.

Srinagar district magistrate announced in evening that in order to maintain law and order in the city restrictions under section 144 of criminal procedure code would come into effect in the entire Srinagar city beginning midnight.

Earlier in the day, two guerrillas attacked a posse of CRPF in a police public school play field in Bemina area of the city.

Five CRPF personnel and two guerrillas were killed in the gunfight. Nine others including three civilians and six CRPF troopers were injured. Read full story : Five CRPF troopers, two terrorists killed in Kashmir