Tempers ran high in Srinagar’s old city on Wednesday after a guard at an ATM booth was found dead, with hundreds of pellets fired from close range, officials and residents said.
The cause of Riyaz Ahmad Shah’s death was confirmed by an autopsy report. Official sources told IANS that doctors who performed the post-mortem found over 300 pellets in his abdomen.
Shah was found dead early on Wednesday under mysterious circumstances near the Government Medical College in Karan Nagar. Police had earlier said he died of an injury inflicted by a sharp edged weapon.
But the deceased’s family and locals alleged that he was killed by the security forces.
“Those responsible for the cold blooded murder of the youth will be identified and brought to justice,” said a top government source.
With the death of the youth, the total number of people killed in the ongoing cycle of violence that began in Indian-held Kashmir on July 9 has risen to 53. These include two policemen.
This was the second death since Tuesday evening after a protester was shot dead on the Srinagar-Jammu highway.
“One civilian was killed and another critically injured when the security guard of additional district development commissioner (Ramban) opened fire at a mob that attacked his vehicle at Lethpora in Pulwama district on Tuesday,” a senior police officer said.
Scores of protesters on Wednesday blocked roads and raised slogans in Srinagar, alleging the guard had been shot by security forces.
Authorities imposed curfew in south Kashmir areas and restrictions in rest of the Kashmir Valley to maintain law and order.