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India-Kashmir-unrest-rights, LEAD October 20, 2007 7:10:50 PM [Load]
Kashmir protests over Indian army killing
SRINAGAR, India, Oct 20, 2007 (AFP) - Thousands of villagers set fire to government vehicles in noisy demonstrations in Indian Kashmir Saturday, forcing police to open a case against a soldier who shot dead a Muslim teacher.
Residents accused Indian troops of killing Abdul Rashid Mir in cold blood during the frisking of civilians near a forest on Friday.
Irate villagers refused to bury the dead man's body until the police took action.
Protests began Friday and led to clashes between police and villagers on Saturday in which 14 people were injured, seven of them policemen, officials said, adding the demonstrations were called off Saturday evening after police said they would open a case.
The army had earlier expressed its regret over the death and ordered an enquiry into what it called an "unfortunate incident."
An army statement, however, insisted Mir was killed accidentally after refusing to cooperate with a security check.
"Instead of showing his identity papers the individual got into an argument with the soldier. In this confusion the weapon got accidentally discharged, which caused unfortunate fatal injuries," it said.
Police and residents said thousands of villagers held noisy demonstrations against the army on Friday and Saturday, keeping the dead man's body on a stretcher.
The state government has said it will pay 100,000 rupees (2564 dollars) compensation to the victim's family.
He was later buried in his home village amid intense anti-army chanting, residents said.
Local media said Mir used to accompany two female teachers every day through a dense three-kilometre (two-mile) forest track and that soldiers told him on Thursday not to accompany them any more.
"Soldiers deployed in the forests had been harassing him for quite some time and had instructed him not to accompany the female teachers," the Greater Kashmir daily said Saturday.
"When soldiers spotted Mir accompanying the female teachers on Friday again, they first subjected him to third-degree torture and then shot him dead."
It was not clear why the soldiers would have given Mir instructions to stay away -- although Indian troops are frequently accused of sexually harassing Muslim women in Kashmir.
Kashmir is in the grip of an 18-year insurgency against Indian rule that has so far left thousands dead.
Human rights groups accuse Indian troops of frequent human rights violations in the region, where anti-India sentiments run high.
Officials say they investigate all claims and punish the guilty.
iw/tl/pst
AFP
ASI 189 3 GP 451 IND AFP-MP28
Kashmir protests over Indian army killing
SRINAGAR, India, Oct 20, 2007 (AFP) - Thousands of villagers set fire to government vehicles in noisy demonstrations in Indian Kashmir Saturday, forcing police to open a case against a soldier who shot dead a Muslim teacher.
Residents accused Indian troops of killing Abdul Rashid Mir in cold blood during the frisking of civilians near a forest on Friday.
Irate villagers refused to bury the dead man's body until the police took action.
Protests began Friday and led to clashes between police and villagers on Saturday in which 14 people were injured, seven of them policemen, officials said, adding the demonstrations were called off Saturday evening after police said they would open a case.
The army had earlier expressed its regret over the death and ordered an enquiry into what it called an "unfortunate incident."
An army statement, however, insisted Mir was killed accidentally after refusing to cooperate with a security check.
"Instead of showing his identity papers the individual got into an argument with the soldier. In this confusion the weapon got accidentally discharged, which caused unfortunate fatal injuries," it said.
Police and residents said thousands of villagers held noisy demonstrations against the army on Friday and Saturday, keeping the dead man's body on a stretcher.
The state government has said it will pay 100,000 rupees (2564 dollars) compensation to the victim's family.
He was later buried in his home village amid intense anti-army chanting, residents said.
Local media said Mir used to accompany two female teachers every day through a dense three-kilometre (two-mile) forest track and that soldiers told him on Thursday not to accompany them any more.
"Soldiers deployed in the forests had been harassing him for quite some time and had instructed him not to accompany the female teachers," the Greater Kashmir daily said Saturday.
"When soldiers spotted Mir accompanying the female teachers on Friday again, they first subjected him to third-degree torture and then shot him dead."
It was not clear why the soldiers would have given Mir instructions to stay away -- although Indian troops are frequently accused of sexually harassing Muslim women in Kashmir.
Kashmir is in the grip of an 18-year insurgency against Indian rule that has so far left thousands dead.
Human rights groups accuse Indian troops of frequent human rights violations in the region, where anti-India sentiments run high.
Officials say they investigate all claims and punish the guilty.
iw/tl/pst
AFP
ASI 189 3 GP 451 IND AFP-MP28
