SRINAGAR: Two youth were injured when a violent crowd attacked a CRPFGypsy outside the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar’s Nowhatta area after Friday prayers. The two men had climbed onto the bonnet of the Gypsy but fell off and were run over by the vehicle, eyewitnesses said.

One of the injured was in critical condition, doctors at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences said.

Jammu & Kashmir police, however, registered two FIRs — No. 18/2018 u/s 307, 148, 149, 152, 336 and 427 of the RPC and No. 19/2018 u/s 279 (rash driving) and 337 of the RPC — against the CRPF unit and started investigations.

Soon after Friday prayers, a crowd of youth took out a protest march against last Friday’s police action against stone-pelters on the Jamia Masjid premises. The protest was sponsored by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of his faction of the Hurriyat Conference . The Hurriyat leader had blamed the security forces for using force on May 25 against stone-pelters after namaz inside the mosque where even women were offering prayer.

The authorities, however, had minimised deployment near Jamia Majid this Friday on instructions from the government regarding the protest call given by the Hurriyat chairman.

However, a CRPF vehicle passed through the area just when a huge crowd was marching towards Nowhatta Chowk, just outside Jamia Masjid. People in the crowd started throwing stones at the vehicle and tried to stop it in a bid to seize the CRPF jawans in the vehicle. The CRPF BP (bullet-proof) vehicle of 128 Battalion ran over two youths, identified as Mohammad Younis of Dalgate and Kaiser Ahmad of Fatehkadal, Srinagar.

According to the SKIMS superintendent, Dr Farooq Jan, one of the youths was put on a ventilator. “We are monitoring his condition but he is very critical,” the doctor said, adding that the other youth had suffered a fracture in the face but was stable.

Police sources said they were ascertaining the details of how they were injured. Official sources said the police thereafter used teargas and pellets against the stone-throwers, causing minor injuries to some youth.

We lodged two cases with regard to the incidents and further investigations have been taken up,” SSP (Srinagar) Imtiaz Parray said.

Earlier in the day, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq told a Friday gathering, “Jamia Masjid continues be an eyesore for the ruling regimes, including those at the helm today, as its pulpit represents the sentiments and aspirations of the people and fearlessly raises its voice against oppression and atrocities inflicted on the people of Kashmir in pursuit of the fulfillment of those aspirations.”

He said that the more repressive measures the government takes to damage the sanctity of the Jamia Masjid, the more should people throng the place “to give a befitting reply that Kashmiris would never surrender”. The Mirwaiz said even on Friday barricades were erected by the police at various places to prevent youth and people from reaching Jamia Masjid.

The slogans “Ye mulq hamara hai, iska faisla hum karengay”, “Shohada kay waris zinda hai”, “Jis Kashmir ko khoon say seenchay, woh Kashmir hamara hai” and “Hum kya chahte — Azadi” were heard, and the people responded loudly. “These slogans will continue to reverberate in the mosque till we achieve our right,” the Mirwaiz said.

Courtesy: Times of India: Jun 1, 2018, TNN