Srinagar: A Kashmiri teen who was injured in clashes with security forces last month died at a Srinagar hospital in the early hours of Wednesday, prompting Jammu and Kashmir authorities to reimpose daytime restrictions in majority of the city, officials said.
Asrar Ahmed Khan, who was injured in police action in Soura at the outskirts of the city, was around 18 years of age and is alleged to be part of a mob staging a protest on August 6, a day after the state’s special status was abrogated by the Centre.
Khan had since been admitted to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences at Soura. After battling for his life for nearly month, he succumbed to injuries in the early hours of Wednesday, the officials said.
The nature of injury was yet to be known as police had denied that bullets were fired to disperse the mob.
“He did not have any bullet injuries,” a senior police official said.
According to the officials, he was injured with a blunt object that day when an unruly crowd was indulging in heavy stone pelting.
The crowd had alleged that he was hit by a tear gas shell but evidence suggested that the injury could be possibly by a stone.
Additional Director General of Police Munir Khan, who was at a press conference during which the Army had released a video of two Pakistani terrorists, said the matter was being investigated.
“The youth was recovering well but somehow his condition deteriorated and he passed away during the night,” Khan told reporters.
Khan, who belonged to a poor family, has been buried as the authorities imposed strict restrictions in the area and other parts of downtown city and Civil Lines area as a precautionary measure.
Also read: Kashmir authorities say no pellet injuries, but here are 5 victims
A group of panchayat leaders who travelled to Delhi recently were informed that restrictions could be lifted in the next three to four weeks. No early return to normalcy. Difficult to judge whether things are panning out as planned, or are proving more challenging.