15 injured after protest in Kashmir turned violent

At least 15 people were injured in Dangiwachi, north of Srinagar, on Tuesday after police fired tear gas at hundreds of demonstrators, who were protesting against the killing of a student by security forces.

Dangiwachi (J and K), Sept 11 : At least 15 people were injured in Dangiwachi, north of Srinagar, on Tuesday after police fired tear gas at hundreds of demonstrators, who were protesting against the killing of a student by security forces.

Several hundred people joined a procession carrying the body of 20-year-old Mohammad Ramzan Shah shouting "punish the killers ... we want freedom" and pelted stones at police.

A police statement said Shah was a militant and was killed along with another Pakistan national militant in a gun battle in the neighbouring town of Handwara on Monday.

But local villagers and Shah's family, who refused to bury the body, demanded an investigation and accused troops of staging the clash.

"He (Shah) was a student. The army caught him when he went to meet a relative in Shehrama. When the concerned Commanding Officer informed the local SHO (Station House Officer) that they had caught him, and asked him for verification, he was at once told that he was a terrorist. The drunk SHO got an innocent man killed by giving out wrong information," alleged Visha Butt, a protestor.

Earlier this year, a dozen policemen and soldiers were charged for killing at least two people in fake gun battles.

ANI