South Asia Human Rights Journalist Association

June 23, 2914: A 22 year odl student Arshad Ahmad Shah, was killed  and injured a dozen civilian when Indian troops 52 Rastriya Rifles (RR), 22 RR and Central Reserve Police Force (FRPF) fired indiscriminately against the protesters in Sopore town.
The incident occured after Indian troops 52 RR, 22 RR and CRPF during siege and search operation with clash with militants   at Baba Raza Krank Shovan Colony in Sopore. Two houses  including of Muhammad Shaban and were destroyed by heavy morter shelling and one militant was reported killed. People took protests in the areas  Indian armys Brigadier Sector-5, Alok Joshi, told reporters that Mehmood Bhai tried to break the cordon in morning hours but was killed by forces. 
DGP K Rajendra told Rising Kashmir that police have recovered body of only one militant from the debris. “We are investigating about another militant, who was holed up in the house. We have to check out where he has gone,” he said. 
According to a police statement issued here, a spokesman said that after the completion of an operation in Baba Raza Krankshvan Sopore in which one militant got killed;  
Witnesses said scores of people gathered around encounter site after the government forces called off the operation in which one  militant was killed. The youth amid pro-freedom slogans demanded that the body of the slain youthto be handed over to them for last rites. 
Reports said that as the number of protestors swelled, some of the government forces resorted to ground firing that resulted in the death of a Arshid Ahmad Shah, 22, resident of Naseem Bagh in the town. 
A youth was killed and four others injured on Monday when  forces opened fire and used non-lethal weapons to disperse a protest rally and opened fire on a rally, resulting in injuries to five of them, the eyewitness said. The protestors were chanting anti-India and pro-freedom slogans
The witness said, one of the injured, Arshad Ahmad Shah, son of Abdul Aziz Shah resident of Naseem Bagh Sopore succumbed to injuries while being taken to a hospital. Rest of the four who sustained injuries in the firing have been identified as Naseer Ahmad beigh son of Ghulam Mohiuddin a resident of Jamia Kadeem, Sopore, Shahid Ahmad son of Kasim Ahangar a resident of Naseem Bagh Sopore, Ilyas Shalla son of Attaullah Shalla resident of Shalpora Sopore and Abid Gojri resident of Sopore. The situation in the area is tense as more people have taken to streets in protest against the killing.
“Police and CRPF men fired live ammunition on protestors, causing death of a youth Arshid Ahmad Shah son of Abdul Aziz Shah of Seer Jagir, Sopore and injuries to three people,” locals said.
A police spokesman  confirming the death of a youth in troops firing.
Medical Superintendent SMHS in Srinagar, Dr Nazir Chowdhary, said three injured have received multiple injuries but were out of danger. He identified the injured as Naseer Ahmad Beig (25)of Chankhan, Ubaid Gojri (18),ShahidAhanger (28)  and Ilyas Ahmad Shalla (16).
Doctors at sub district hospital in Sopore said that the slain youth had received bullet in his abdomen and he was brought dead to the hospital. “One of the injured Waseem has received bullet in the right side of the abdomen, Shahid had bullet injury in his left foot while another injured Ilyas Ahmed has received bullet in his shoulder. Abid Gojri is safe and sound and he has no bullet injury,” the doctor said.
Eyewitnesses said police and forces used tear smoke shells and opened fire to disperse the protesters. “A youth was hit by a bullet and he died on way to the hospital. Four others were wounded in the firing,” witnesses added.
The deceased youth was identified as Arshad Ahmad son of Abdul Aziz of Naseem Bagh Sopore. “He had received a bullet in his chest and was brought dead to the sub district hospital,” Dr Syed Masood, Block Medical Officer told media men.
 
“Arshid was killed because the Indian forces couldn’t grab one Javed Ahmad Mattoo, a local gureilla who managed to give slip to the forces during operation.. The Indian army and other paramilitary forces vent their anger by shooting dead an unarmed civilian. He was killed in cold-blood,” said Manzoor Ahmad, a protester. The forces, he said, opened volley of gunfire upon peaceful demonstrators, who had assembled in Krankshivan area to visit the families who lost their property in the gunfight.
The Hurriyet leaders have condemned the killing of youth in forces firing and called for complete shutdown in Valley on Tuesday 24 June.
Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, strongly condemned the killing of youth in troops firing. “It seems that troops have been emboldened by recent statements made by Indian political leadership and the top army commanders in Kashmir. It is unfortunate that rather than showing restraint, police, army and para military forces have gone for a killing spree in Kashmir,” the statment of Hurriyet said. They  appealed human rights organization to take cognizance of these incidents and use their good offices in stopping rights abuses in Kashmir.
Arshid’s body was taken in a procession from the hospital to his Naseem Bagh residence. Hundreds of youth had already gathered at his house. Heart wrenching scenes were witnessed as the youth brought Arshid home for the last time.
Abdul Aziz Shah, the father of the slain youth Arshad Ahmed Shah said “My 22 year old son was neither a militant nor a stone-pelter. He always kept himself aloof from militancy and other things. After graduation, he didn’t find a government job and purchased a Sumo (JK05C-1351) to earn bread for the family,” he said adding that his another son is mentally challenged.
 
Visibly depressed Shah, who works in PDD, while quoting the friends of his slain son said that Arshid had gone to Krankshivan along with his friends after to operation was over. Demanding stern action against the killer cop, Shah told media men that he knows it very well that no action would be initiated against the culprit. “What happened in past will be repeated in present and may be in future as well. No ‘killer’ was punished here ever. Probes are ordered to assuage the anger of the people. As the time elapses, government gives clean chit to the killers,” he said and added that he has no faith in any inquiry or probe.
He has won trophies and medals in cricket games. When he was graduating, he played Rugby in Pune, a south Indian city, and brought home another medal. And in the past, he was an entrepreneur.
After years of toil, Arshad Ahamad Shah, 24, was now both an owner and driver of his new Mahindra Scorpio SUV. Few years back, his father loaned some money to purchase the car so that Arshad could support the family in earning livelihood.
And whatever he earned he would keep some of it saved for his sister, Suraiya, so that tomorrow she could be happily married off.
But on Monday, the dreams of each family member were shattered when Arshad fell to the bullets of government forces at Naseem Bagh in Sopore. “I have nothing left now,” wails Naseema, Arshad’s mother, in one of the corners of her home. “Whatever I had, they took away. The walls of our home have crumbled.”
At exactly 1: 45 p.m on June 23 when government forces fired a barrage of bullets on unarmed civilians here, Abdul Aziz Shah was cutting grass with a sickle in his orchard for the cattle.
 
“I heard the bullets,” says Abdul Aziz, Arshad’s father. “When I finished cutting grass, I headed straight to home. There I saw people assembled in groups. And when I heard Arshad had been hit, my world was at fire.”
Arshad was in south Kashmir’s tourist resort of Pahalgam for three days. On June 23, he reached home after dropping passengers.
He had food with his brother Basit. Together, they then had a siesta.
“When we were about to take rest, he said to me not to venture outside,” Basit says. “Then we slept.”
Arshad, according to the family members, ventured outside to take a walk as he had come after three days of work. “A few local friends were also accompanying him,” Basit and neighbours say. “From the other side, forces fired bullets indiscriminately which hit Arshad and others. And it was police that fired bullets,” they said.
After he was hit, Arshad was taken to Sub-District Hospital Sopore on a bike where he was declared brought dead. Naseem Bagh and Krankshivan Colony are bisected by a highway and the two localities are like two banks of a river.
Arshad had studied at Muslim Educational Trust (MET) School, Sopore, till 10th standard. He was enrolled in Government Higher Secondary, Sopore, where he completed his 12th standard. He graduated from Government Degree College, Sopore, in Humanities.
Arshad had also been to an Industrial Training Institute. “Arshad first opened up a grocery shop and worked there for some time,” Abdul Aziz says.
“But he turned to driving and was working very hard for his sister and younger brother. What should I tell you? I have lost a jewel.”
A driver in Power Development Department, Abdul Aziz says Arshad always remained busy in his work.
“They ruthlessly pumped bullets into his heart,” he says. “How could they be so cruel? How could they pluck a flower from my life?”
Arshad is known in his locality as a boy who turned things around. “He was so disciplined and responsible that he dropped out and tended to work,” says Haji Manzoor Ahmad Mir, a neighbour of Arshad. “If he met me five times a day, he would greet every time. That was his character.” Arshad was buried in Martyrs Graveyard at Krankshivan Colony at 5: 30 p.m on Monday.
“Now we are under siege,” Arshad’s father says. “People are not allowed to come to our home. Our relatives and friends were driven back.”
“The DIG and SP have acknowledged the murder,” Abdul Aziz says. “They said a case would be registered soon.”
According to family members and locals, the incident was wrongly portrayed in media.
“No vehicle was burnt in the locality,” said Muzafar Ahmad Marazi, a neighbour of the deceased.
“It is all lies. The fact of the matter is that police were furious and they killed Arshad in cold blood. That is it. And we have hundreds of witnesses.”
Naseema, Arshad’s mother, says they had planned to construct a new house.
“I have nothing left now,” she says. “Now, even the walls of this house seem crumbling, stone by stone.”