Indian forces martyr 17 youths in occupied Kashmir

SRINAGAR: At least 17 people have been martyred in addition to 50 injured by Indian troops during cordon and search operations in Kashmir’s Islamabad and Shopian districts on Sunday, according to Kashmir Media Service.

An initial statement issued by the Director General of Police SP Vaid said, “13 suspected militants were killed during gunfire exchange with Indian forces in two separate incidents. Seven were killed in Dragad and four in Shopian district’s Kachdoora area.”

Two civilians, Jan Mohammad Lone and Zubair Ahmad Butt, died in a hospital due to their injuries. A young man, identified as Rouf Bashir Khanday, was also killed by Indian forces during an overnight operation in Islamabad district’s Dialgam area.

Other young martyrs include Ubair Shafi Malla,  Adil Thokar, Yawar Itoo, Nazim Nazir, Adil Thokar, Rais Thokar, Ishafaq Malik and Zubair Turay.

Moreover, around 100 civilians were injured when Indian forces used brute force and fired pellets and bullets on protesters in Dragad and Kachdora areas.

District hospital Shopian’s Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Shafat said that they had received more than 50 injured but some were shifted to hospitals in Srinagar for additional treatment.

“We are unable to maintain the record of the injured because of the heavy rush,” Dr Shafat told media.

The Indian media reports that the fighting began on late Saturday and ended in Anantnag’s Peth Dialgam area on Sunday morning. However, fighting in Dragad and Kachdoora still continued.

Col Rajesh Kalia, the Army’s spokesman, said that the operation at Dialgam was conducted by the army, police and CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force).

Weapons and ammunition had also been recovered from the site, he added.

Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) has called for a shutdown for two days across Indian occupied Kashmir.
Syed Ali Gilani, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq are part of JRL.

In a similar vein, students from Kashmir University (KU) demonstrated against the killings and shouted anti-india slogans.
‘End Occupation, Free Kashmir’ read the banners carried by the students.