Army Firing Kills 3 civilians including a teenage girl in Kulgam, Curfew Clamped

Tension prevailed in Kashmir valley with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) taking over custody of Dukhtaran-e-Milat chief Asiya Andrabi. A shutdown was observed today and normal life was severely hit.

Heavy protests sounded in the valley after three civilians, including a teenage girl, were killed in firing by the Army in Kulgam when they fired on a protesting mob. Following the incident, Kashmir valley observed a shutdown.

As per reports, an Army patrol came at loggerheads with protesters in Hawoora area of Khudwani, Kulgam. Sources also informed that the protesters pelted stones at the Army patrol.

The victims have been identified as Shakir Ahmad Khanday (22), Irshad Ahmad (20), and Andleeb (16).

Speaking over the issue, Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq termed it as a massacre and alleged that the Indian Army is on a killing spree.

It may be mentioned that, the incident has happened on a day when the separatists organised a Valley-wide shutdown to protest the NIA move to shift the “ailing” Ms. Andrabi and her two aides to New Delhi.

The valley wide shutdown had hid hard on normal life as most commercial areas, offices and educational institutes remained closed.

Furthermore, a curfew has also been clamped in Pulwama’s Tral, which is the dead Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani’s hometown. Sunday happens to be the death anniversary of slained militant Burhan Wani.