[Reader-list] Aciidental Death of a Carpenter

[shivam at kafila.org]

The lives of some Indian citizens are more valuable than others. Always.
best
shivam

* * *

Thousands protest carpenter's killing in Kashmir

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hGCLn9AEnqoc5ACFoWYJSe1ghp2A

SRINAGAR, India (AFP) — Thousands of people in revolt-hit Kashmir held
a massive anti-India demonstration Thursday over the alleged murder by
police of a Muslim carpenter.

The death occurred Wednesday evening in southern Pulwama district,
sparking protests by thousands of Kashmiris, who chanted slogans like
"down with Indian troops" and "we want freedom."

"The protests are continuing," local resident Reyaz Sheikh told AFP by
telephone.

"We will bury the dead only after government promises to punish the
guilty," he said.

Prabhakar Tripathi, the spokesman for Central Reserve Police Force,
said the carpenter, Mohiudin Malik was killed by cross-fire during a
confrontation between Muslim militants and police.

But Malik's family said he was killed after he argued with federal
police who raided his house, and that there were no rebels in the area
at the time of the shooting.

India's state-owned television, Doordarshan, said four policemen,
including an officer, have been suspended after the death.

Local police also said they have registered a murder case and launched
an investigation.

Kashmir is in the grip of a nearly two decade old insurgency against
Indian rule that has so far left more than 47,000 people dead,
according to official figures.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley,
which last year witnessed some of the biggest protests. Over 50
Muslims were killed, mostly by security forces.

* * *

Civilian killing: Four paramilitary troopers suspended in Kashmir

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200903191340.htm

Srinagar (IANS): Four paramilitary troopers, including an assistant
commandant, were Thursday suspended pending investigations into
Wednesday's firing in a south Kashmir village that left a carpenter
dead.

Gulam Mohiuddin Malik, 35, was killed in allegedly unprovoked firing
by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers in Kheegam village of
Pulwama district, according to witnesses.

A First Information Report (FIR) was filed against the security forces
with police asking CRPF officials to identify the accused troopers to
complete the probe into the incident.

"The CRPF has suspended one assistant commandant and three constables
allegedly involved in the firing incident in which one villager
unfortunately lost his life", B. Srinivas, inspector general of police
(Kashmir Zone) said today.

Malik was shot dead when troopers of the 181 CRPF battalion were
patrolling the village. The villagers claimed the troopers opened fire
at the carpenter without any provocation.

CRPF spokesman Prabhakar Tripathi said: "A CRPF patrol had gone to the
village for searches on specific information about the presence of
militants. The patrol was fired upon by militants and they returned
the fire. The body of one person was recovered from the spot."

The killing, which sparked off protests in Pulwama, came when union
Home Minister P. Chidambaram was on a day-long visit to the state. Mr.
Chidambaram assured action against the army troopers found guilty of
killing two youth in north Kashmir's Bomai village Feb 21.

The situation in Kheegam was tense with hundreds of villagers refusing
to bury the body of the slain carpenter until the guilty were
punished.

Senior civil and police officers rushed to the spot to defuse the
palpable tension