Srinagar:
Finger-tips of both hands touching, head bowed, an emotional Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was silent for a full 40 seconds today in the middle of a passionate statement on the death of a 24-year-old man in firing by security forces during a protest in Baramulla, north Kashmir.
The troops opened fire on the crowd, gathered to protest against the hanging of Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru, after the latter began pelting stones at police vehicles today. One man was killed and several others were injured. Curfew has been declared in Baramulla and the Chief Minister announced in the Assembly that a probe would be initiated.
"Do people in a procession throwing stones deserve to be shot at? Is this the first time people have thrown stones at the forces? Why did they fire?" said Mr Abdullah in the House, also saying, his voice tremulous, "They (opposition) can show their emotion, throw stones and run away. I have the same emotions, maybe more, how do I show them?" Usually very articulate, the Chief Minister struggled to speak each word, even tripping over some of them.
(Read: Omar Abdullah wants AFSPA to be repealed from parts of state)He had just been subjected to a scathing attack by the main opposition People's Democratic Party or the PDP and other legislators over the young man's death in Baramulla. There were disruptions in the Assembly over the issue through the day; the House has already been stalled several times in the Budget session over the hanging of Afzal Guru in Delhi's Tihar Jail last month.
There were other protests against the Afzal Guru execution and against the death of a Kashmiri student found hanging in his hostel room in Hyderabad on Saturday.
In downtown Srinagar, protestors clashed with the police after the latter intercepted a demonstration. As a precaution, 3G mobile services were suspended indefinitely in the Valley today. Service providers say they were directed by police authorities to suspend operations this afternoon.
Shops and business establishments are closed for the second consecutive day today in the Valley after some groups called for a march to Pulwama, the native village of the graduate student who was found dead in Hyderabad.