Paramilitary Troops Deny Shooting Man Who Died Of Pellet Wounds In Kashmir

Srinagar: There was strict curfew in downtown Srinagar on Thursday - two days after a 20-year-old died from pellet injuries. But despite the curfew, protests were held near the home of Reyaz Ahmed Shah, who was found with 360 pellets in his body.  

While a murder case has been filed - the first since unrest started in the Valley three weeks ago following the death of Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani - the Central Reserve Police Force or CRPF has denied that their men shot Mr Shah.

"It's an unfortunate incident. We are cooperating into investigations and whosoever is found guilty will not spared," said Atul Karwal, Inspector General of Police, CRPF.

With more than 50 people dead in clashes and many sustaining injuries from pellet guns carried by the security forces, the state and the central governments have warned the forces about the use of "excessive force".

But there was no sign of any protest where Mr Shah's body was found in downtown Chhatabal, the police have said.

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The young man, who worked at a grocery store during the day and supplemented his family's income by working as a guard at a local ATM at night -- was on his way to work when the security forces allegedly stopped his two-wheeler near a bunker.

It appeared that he had been shot from a point-blank range; the body bore 360 pellets, most of them in his abdomen, the post-mortem report said.

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"From the nature of injuries you can make out that pellets have been fired from a close range. We are investigating and we can assure that the guilty will be booked. We have already a registered a case," Kashmir police chief Javid Gilani has said.