KV Correspondent

Police registers case against Army after its vehicle crushes girl to death

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Police have registered a case against Army after a girl was crushed to death by a speeding Army vehicle today in Shopian area of South Kashmir. The incident triggered widespread protests that continued through the day in which scores of people and policemen were injured.

A girl identified as Aroofa, a second standard student, was laid to rest only after the protests subsided, when the police assured them of fair probe in the incident. Police registered an FIR against the army after the death. The Police lodged the FIR No.41/2017 under section 279 – 304 A in police station Zainapora against the troopers of 55 RR.

Reports quoting eyewitnesses said that protests erupted immediately after an army vehicle crushed a second standard student to death in Aglar village of Zainapora area in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Thursday. The girl, identified as Aroofa, was critically injured after an army vehicle hit her. She was rushed CHC Zainapora where she succumbed.

A 9 year-old girl was mowed down allegedly by an Army vehicle, police said.”Aroofa Farooq, a resident of the Aglar Zainapora area of the district, was hit and injured by an Army vehicle near her residence this morning,” a police official said. He said Aroofa was taken to the hospital at Zainapora, where she succumbed to the injuries.

Soon after the news of her death spread in the area hundreds of people including women and students hit the roads. Police and paramilitary forces resorted to tear smoke shelling to disperse the protesters. The clashes continued in different parts of South Kashmir resulting in  injuries to thirty seven persons, including twelve policemen.

Clashes erupted after police resorted to teargas shelling and pellet firing to disperse protesters who were demanding that an FIR be registered against the army. The protesting people described the death as a case of  reckless driving.

Notably, some angry youths vandalized the office of Sub Divisional Magistrate and office of the Tehsildar Zainapora.

To control the mob Shopian Police headed by Additional Superintendent of Police Afroz Ahmad Mir reached the spot and  pacified the angry protesters who were  demanding FIR against the troops of 55 RR. He also assured that proper action would be taken in the matter.

During the protests some youth pelted stones on police and security forces in which 14 policemen got injured. Additional Superintendent of police Afroz Ahmad told the protesting people that he was monitoring the all situation himself. Local residents said that the people continued with the protests and didn’t bury the girl child till the time police had lodged an FIR,

 Army has termed the incident as unfortunate. GoC Victor Force, Maj Gen B S Raj, described the incident as unfortunate and expressed solidarity with the bereaved family.

 According to local residents the people protested and in the clashes the injured were shifted to the Zainapora hospital, where from most of them were discharged for having received only minor injuries.


KV Correspondent

Kashmir Correspondent cover all daily updates for the newspaper

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