 | « Back to article | Print this article |
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday ordered a probe into the death of a schoolboy in the Nishat area of Srinagar on Friday as heightened tensions forced authorities to continue curfew-like restrictions in the old city areas.
The friends of the teenager, who were with him at the time of the incident, alleged that Zahid was shot by the security forces from a passing vehicle on Friday afternoon. The security forces, however, denied the incident.
An official statement issued late Friday evening said a time bound probe has been ordered into the death of 17-year-old Zahid Farooq Sheikh, who died after being hit by a bullet in the chest near the Nishat Mughal garden.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had ordered Naseema Lankar, divisional commissioner, Kashmir, to submit the probe report within seven days.
He directed the state director general of police to immediately move to Srinagar and personally supervise the police investigation into the killing of the schoolboy.
The burial of the youth could not take place on Friday evening as relatives and locals staged protests and tried to march to the chief minister's uptown residence along with the body.
Hundreds of mourners resumed protests on Saturday morning and blocked roads in the area, which connect the famous Mughal gardens with Srinagar.
Authorities continued curfew-like restrictions in the old city areas of Srinagar for the third day running fearing more trouble following the Friday incident.