Srinagar: Curfew-like situation prevailed in the old city Saturday as authorities imposed prohibitory orders, while a spontaneous strike was observed in the rest of the areas to protest against the death of a 17-year-old youth during a clash between stone-pelting demonstrators and police.
Tufail, who was returning from tuition, was allegedly killed during a clash between stone-pelting demonstrators and security personnel in Ghani Memorial Hospital near Rajouri Kadal area on Friday.
The death sparked off massive protests in the city till late last night resulting in injuries to 25 people, including five policemen.
Initially police claimed Tufail died after tripping on a stone while security forces were chasing the stone pelters. But later changed the statement by saying that the boy was "deliberately murdered" by some miscreants who took him to hospital and fled away.
Locals, however, alleged that security personnel hit the victim on the head by rifle butts, which resulted in his death on the spot.
"According to medical report, Tufail was hit by a blunt object over his left eye. The report said it caused fracture in his skull," SSP Srinagar javed Riyaz said, adding investigation into the case is on.
"As per medical examination of the teenager's wound, the case appears to be of a deliberate murder. Police is on the look out of the two persons who dropped the deceased at the SMHS hospital in a car and later disappeared from the scene," a police spokesman said.
Police and paramilitary forces were patrolling the deserted streets of the old city areas as authorities enforced section 144 CrPC under five police stations of Nowhatta, Khanyar, Safakadal, Maharajgun and Rainawari, official sources said.
Residents of old city complained that curfew has been imposed as they were not allowed to move out of their houses, but police denied having imposed curfew and said law enforcing agencies were strictly implementing the prohibitory orders.
Life in the city remained disrupted as shops and business markets, educational institutions and semi-government offices remained closed as a protest against the killing of Tufail Ahmad Mattoo in police action in the old city.
The attendance in government offices was thin in the absence of transport as both private and public transport remained off the roads.
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