Srinagar: Stone throwers in the Kashmir valley took another innocent life on Friday. Shafiq, a peon in the state education department was killed when his vehicle was attacked. Separatist leaders, who are so quick to protest any violations by the security forces were shockingly silent after the death, though Mirwaiz Umar Farooq did condemn it.
"As the vehicle took a turn, there was heavy stone pelting. Stones hit my vehicle. One stone pierced through the glass and hit the passenger on his head. I immediately drove him to the hospital," said the driver of the vehicle Shafiq was in.
And even before Shafiq Ahmad's body had been taken to his house in Srinagar, his death had started off a blame game.
The separatists shouted anti-India slogans and the Chief Minister blamed hardliner separatist Syed Ali Geelani for inciting the protests that led to the killing.
"It was Geelani who has asked people to protest every Friday and today, he had called for a march to the UN office in Srinagar to protest against human rights violations by the security forces," said Omar Abdullah, J&K Chief Minister.
And though the stone throwers have Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's support, he did condemn the killing.
"We condemn these incidents in strongest possible terms. These incidents bring disrepute to a largely peaceful movement," said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
The police have filed an FIR for murder, even though the accused are yet to be identified.
"We have filed a case under 302 and investigations are on. We haven't arrested anyone yet. We are working on it," said Mohammad Irshad, SP South, Srinagar.
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