Srinagar, January 7, 2011: A civilian, thirty-year-old shopkeeper was killed and three civilians were injured in Sopore town on Saturday when Special Operations Group (SOG), escort of Superintendent of Police (SP) and Central Reserve Police Force fired in the town. The victim was identified as, Meraj-ud-Din Hajam, 30, son of Ghulam Ahmad a resident of Shahgund Sumbal Hajim in Bandipora. Father of two kids, Mehrajuddin was running a shop in main market of the town.
He was running a embroidery shop for last five years, the local said.
Special Operation Group (SOG), escort of Superintendent of Police (SP) and CRPF vehicles at Main Chowk indiscriminately fired on people after the Police escort was attacked by unknown men, an eyewitness siad.
“Policemen retaliated the fire. A civilian was killed and five others including two policemen were injured in the shootout,” police said. However during attack on police party there was no loss of life or property.
Earlier, the police had said that the man killed during the operation was a militant.
The injured civilians were identified as Haji Muhammad Ramzan azan son of Ghulam Ahmed Khuroo Khuroo of Kralteng Sopore, shopkeeperTariq Ahmad Langoo son of Shamas Din of Noorbagh Sopore and shopkeeper Muzaffar Ahmad Bisati son of Manzoor Ahmed of Shalpora Sopore Sopore.
Locals told media men that Special Operation Group (SOG and paramilitary men Central Reserve Police Force had beaten up civilians indiscriminately and fired after the series of attacks. The firing created panic in the main chowk and other areas. All the four victims were shopkeepers who had just opened their shops. Mehrajudin Hajjam, 30, son of Ghulam Ahmad Hajam of Shahgund Sumbal owned an embroidery shop in Auqaf Market Sopore. The shopkeepers said that he was at the shop when the incident took place and tried to flee. He was hit by bullets resulting in his on the spot death.
One-shot gun was also found near his body and police initially thought that the deceased was a militant. His body was lying on the road several hours. But later after the verification, police identified him as a shopkeeper who was killed in cross fire.
Three injured identified as Haji Mohammad Ramzan son of Ghulam Ahmad of Kralteng Sopore, Tariq Ahmad son of Shams-ud-din Mangooof Sopore and Mumtaz Ahmad son of Mansoor Ahmad Bisati and of them two have been admitted at Bones and joints hospital in Srinagar.
Mehrajudin Najar son of Ghulam Ahmad was laid to rest amid pro-freedom slogans in his native Shagul Sumbal. Thousands of people participated in the funeral of the civilian. The slain civilian in his early thirties was working as an embroidery worker at a shop in Sopore.
JKLF Chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik who visited Hajin, has said that the government forces of killing of Meharj-ud-din Hajam,
Quoting eyewitnesses, Malik had said, “Despite pleading that he was a shopkeeper, Hajam was shot dead by the Special Operation Group in broad daylight,” adding that incident was yet another example of the State oppression and terrorism being unleashed on Kashmiris.
Hajam, the lone breadwinner of his family, the family has also rubbished the police version cliaming that he was killed after being injured.
Quoting eyewitnesses, Hajam’s father, Ghulam Muhammad, said: “He was hit by a bullet. He was crying for help and Instead of helping him, bullets were pierced into his chest.”
His relatives told media men that earlier police tried to label him as militant and put a rifle in front of him, but later when they found that many were witness to it, they changed the statement, “his relative Ajaz Hajam said.