Teachers, students tortured in IHK
Updated at: 1055 PST, Thursday, October 14, 2010
Teachers, students tortured in IHK SRINAGAR:
In occupied Kashmir, dozens of people including schoolchildren and government teachers were injured after troopers opened fire and assaulted them in Baramulla district. At least 25 schoolchildren and teachers were injured after being assaulted by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel at Sangrama on Baramulla–Srinagar highway.
The BSF convoy barged into Government Middle School, Sangarama, which was provided cover by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), eyewitnesses told media men.
The troops abused, misbehaved and thrashed the teachers, including female staff. The troops did not even spare small schoolchildren, as young as six. At least 20 students and five teachers were injured in the troopers’ action, eyewitnesses added.
Some of the injured schoolchildren have been identified as Shagufta Amin, Masrat Bashir, Sehreena Amin, all 7th class students, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Ashraf Malik, 8th standard students, Asmat Rashid, 6th standard, Nausheen Akhter and Nilofer Amin, 4th class, Muzammil and Tanveer Nabi, 3rd standard and Kounsar Gulzar, a first standard student.
“The children were attending the classes, when the BSF men stormed the school and thrashed the teachers without any reason or rhyme. They even beat female teachers, including me,”
Headmistress, GMS, Sangrama, Kounsar Jabeen told media men. “The ruckus continued for at least 15 minutes. We urged them not to harm the small children, but they didn’t listen to us,” she added.
When the news of beating of students and teachers spread, hundreds of men, women and children, including the family members of the schoolchildren took to streets and staged pro-freedom and anti-India demonstrations in the area. They chanted slogan like “We want freedom” and “Go India go.”
On the other hand, about a dozen people including 18-year-old Ashiq Hussain Lone were injured when troopers of 32 Rashtriya Rifles opened fire and used brute force against peaceful protestors at Nadihal in Rafiabad area of Baramulla.
Meanwhile, several other persons were also injured in police and CRPF actions against peaceful protestors in Batamaloo, Rainawari and in Baramulla town.