Srinagar, April 25: Killing of 30-year old man by unidentified persons triggered protests and clashes at Rafiabad in Baramulla district on Monday. At least 10 persons were injured when police and paramilitary CRPF personnel resorted to baton charge and fired teargas shells to quell massive protests.
The 30-year-old Muhammad Ashraf Lone son of Abdur Rashid Lone of Chatipora, Rafiabad, Rafiabad was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at Hail-Jageer on Sunday evening. Ashraf, a teacher at a local Madrassa, had reportedly gone missing on Thursday.
Eyewitnesses told media men that hundreds of residents of Chatipora and its adjoining villages in Rafiabad took to streets and staged massive demonstrations against the killing. The protesters carried the body of Ashraf in a procession and staged a sit-in on the Sopore- Ladura link road.
Chanting slogans “We want freedom,” the protesters were demanding identification and punishment for the people involved in the killing.
The paramilitary forces, eyewitnesses said fired tear smoke shells after they failed to disperse the protesters with cane charge. Several people, eyewitnesses said were injured in the action.
Farooq Ahmad Lone, uncle of the deceased told local news agency KNS that Ashraf had left home on Thursday evening to meet some people in Rangpeth Langate. “On Sunday he (Ashraf) was seen by some neighbours in Sopore. But in the evening, we received a call from police that his body has been found in Kreeri,” he said.