KU erupts against Showkat’s killing
Srinagar: Massive protests erupted at the Kashmir University against the killing of a student-turned-militant Showkat Ahmad Bhat in a shootout with the government forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
The hostel boarders of Zakura campus besides MA and MAK boys hostel assembled at the main campus of Kashmir University in Hazratbal and staged a protest against the killing of Showkat Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Padgampora, Awantipora.
The slain militant, according to the protesting students, was pursuing B. Pharmacy course at the varsity.
He had joined militancy on October 2 and was associated with Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen.
Eyewitnesses said the number of students was swelling as they marched towards the Sir Syed Gate.
Meanwhile, the protesting students were holding banners with posters of scholar turned militant- Mannan Wani and slain professor turned militant-Prof Rafi Bhat. Both were killed during gunfight with government forces earlier this year.
However, what has become a challenging situation for the KU administration is the students holding posters of active Hizbul Mujahidin commander Riyaz Naikoo. The students were also waving posters of Naikoo during their protest inside KU campus, a witness said.
“It was for the second time that students were waving posters of Naikoo inside KU campus. This is happening for first time that posters of active militants are waved in the campus. This has posed a challenge for the KU administration,” said a professor in the University.
He said the trend won’t prove fruitful for the varsity because waving of posters with pictures of active militants will worsen the situation here.
The protesting students earlier paid homage to the slain militant outside the B. pharmacy department of the University and marched towards Sir Syed Gate to offer funeral prayers in absentia as well.
A police official meanwhile said that Bhat was killed in an ambush laid by 50 RR of army and Special Operations Group of the state police in Dougam Kakapora.
An official said that Bhat was involved in yesterday’s grenade attack in Pattan that left three cops, including an officer, injured.
KV Correspondent
