Most deaths in Valley by bullet injuries, says Omar

Most of the civilian deaths during the recent protests in the Valley were caused by bullet injuries, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today.

Of the 98 civilians killed from June 11 to September 21 this year, 82 died due to bullet injuries received during the protests, Mr. Omar said in a written reply to a question of Murtaza Ahmad Khan in the Legislative Council.

“Since the beginnig of June 2010, till September 21, 87 civilians were killed who were part of the violent mobs and protests during the engagements between protesters and the deployment on the ground and succumbed to their injuries,” the Chief Minister, who also holds the Home portfolio, said.

Two others, including a teenage student Tufail Ahmad Mattoo - whose death on June 11 triggered a series of protests, were killed after getting hit by tear smoke shells.

As per data, 11-year-old Irshad Ahmad Parray died after suffering injuries caused by pellets fired from Pum Action Gun (PAG).

One person, Rafiq Ahmad Bangroo, died due to serious injuries suffered after he was allegedly beaten by the CRPF personnel, the government records show.

Two other deaths, including that of a 24-year-old woman, government said were caused by ‘stray’ bullets.

The government said most of those killed in the protests were young boys, either teenagers or in their twenties.

The oldest man killed during the protests was Ali Mohammad Khanday of Pattan in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. He was 60.

According to government figures, two persons were killed in the attacks by stone pelters while three youth drowned after being chased by security forces and two persons were killed in stampedes.

Most of those killed were students (39) followed by labourers (12) and farmers (nine). Rest of the deceased were businessmen, skilled workers, employees in public and private sector and salespersons.

Kashmir valley has been in a grip of protests since June 11 following the killing of Mattoo, who succumbed to injuries after being hit in the head by a tear smoke cannister fired by a policeman near Rajouri Kadal in interior city.