Srinagar, February 10, 2012: Indian troops of 32 Rashtriya Rifles killed a 20 year old Ashiq Hussain Rather son of Muhammad Akbar of Laisar village near Watargam of Rafiaabad in Baramulla district when he and his sister came out of their house to go to washroom at 8.30 pm. Ashiq died on spot. The inmates of the house raised hue and cry and villagers came out to protest against the killing. The FIR6/2012 IRPF-302 was registered in Dangiwacha police station.
As the news spread, the residents in hundreds took to streets and held strong protest demonstrations against Indian army and Indian state terrorism. They were demanding the arrest of soldiers involved into the killing of the youth and police said they have registered a case against army.
Police sources said gunshots were fired towards Ashiq Hussain at Lisar Dangiwacha on February 10. “He sustained multiple bullet injuries and died on spot,” they said.
Witness testimony identifies that the troops fired indiscriminately on the youth with out any reason.
The youth was killed by soldiers of 32 Rashtriya Rifles (RR). Muhammad Akbar Rather, father of Ashiq said that around 8 PM on Friday evening his two daughters went outside to attend the call of nature. After sometime they started crying. “After hearing their cries I went out of my house along with my son Ashiq Hussain and found some men in uniform. As I was taking my two daughters inside the house, we heard the firing. After the firing we were kept hostage in the house by the Indian army men and during this time my son was killed by them. We cried and after 20 minutes our neighbours came” he said.
Akbar said the army personnel killed his son. “The firing by army was unprovoked. After killing Ashiq they fled” he said.’
The youth was killed by soldiers of 32 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), fruther Muhammad Akbar Rather, father of Ashiq said that around 8 PM on Friday evening his two daughters went outside to attend the call of nature. After sometime they started crying. “After hearing their cries I went out of my house along with my son Ashiq Hussain and found some men in uniform. As I was taking my two daughters inside the house, we heard the firing. After the firing we were kept hostage in the house by the Indian security men and during this time my son was killed by them. We cried and after 20 minutes our neighbours came” he said. Akbar said the army personnel killed his son. “The firing by army was unprovoked. After killing Ashiq the troops fled” he said.
Thousands of protesters from nearby villages gathered and marched towards the highway. Among the protesters, two young sisters of slain youth, Shafiqa and Rukhsana, shouldered the coffin of their brother up to the highway where they expected they might get the answer from the top army officials for the cause of their brother’s killing.
“I want to know why they have killed my innocent brother. He was not related with any subversive activities,” said Shafiqa.
Back in home, the mother of the victim has almost lost her balance. She is not wailing, instead she is reciting folk songs usually sung on marriage functions. However with every line she recites, tears roll down her cheeks.
“I have lot of expectations on my son. You should recite marriage songs loudly. He is not my ordinary son. He has to take care of his family. He should realize that his marriage has been celebrated with great pomp and show,” cries 45-year old Misra Begum.
“She has lost her mental balance. She is not in a position to judge what has happened. Give her sleeping pills otherwise she will get mad,” shouts a woman.
In one of the rooms a group of youths are crying over the killing of their friend. One of his friends said Ashiq was the most obedient child of his family and would never utter a single word against the wishes of his parents.
“He was most gentle person and used to remain confined to his work only. He was always bothered about his family. His killing is a testimony to the fact that army does not want peace to prevail here,” said Muhammad Rafiq.
Protests over killing of a youth, Ashiq Hussain, continued to rock this north Kashmir village in Rafiabad area on Saturday 11TH Feb.
Hussain, according to locals, was killed by soldiers last night. As the word about the killing spread locals took to the streets and staged nightlong protest.
Locals have placed the body of the deceased youth on Baramulla-Kupwara road and have refused to bury his body. They are demanding the arrest of the Indian army soldiers involved in the killing and removal of the army camp in their area.
Ashiq Hussain Rather was killed in his native village Lasser around 8.30 pm, when soldiers patrolling through the village shot at him, his relatives said. A bullet hit him on the chest and he died at the spot.
“There were Indian soldiers in our village. They were frisking the people passing through. And when he (Rather) moved out of his house, they shot him without any provocation,” Rather’s uncle Khursheed Ahmad told The Indian Express. “After killing him (Rather), they didn’t allow us to move closer. When the villagers raised slogans and started protesting, the soldiers ran away from the village.”