Curfew continues in Sopore for third day

SRINAGAR: Curfew remained in force in Sopore township of north Kashmir's Baramulla district for the third day today to prevent law and order problems after a youth was killed in the alleged security forces firing earlier this week.

"Curfew continues to remain in force in the town today as well," a police spokesman said.

The spokesman said the curfew was relaxed for two hours this morning and the relaxation period passed off peacefully.

A youth, Arshad Ahmad Shah, was killed on June 23 when security forces opened fire to disperse a crowd who started pelting stones at the forces when they were leaving Tarzoo area of Sopore after concluding an anti-militancy operation, police said.

A top Pakistani "commander" of Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militant outfit was killed in the operation conducted by the security forces, police had said.

Following the killing of the youth, authorities imposed an indefinite curfew in the town as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.

The government has constituted an enquiry committee comprising district magistrate of Baramulla to ascertain the factual position with respect to the causes and circumstances of the firing incident.

The Inquiry Officer appointed yesterday to probe the killing of the youth asked eye-witnesses to depose before him from today.

"Baramulla District Magistrate Farooq Ahmed Lone, who has been appointed IO to probe the killing of a civilian at Sopore on June 23, has notified that any person having any knowledge about the incident can depose before him between June 26 to June 30 from 2 PM onwards in his office," an official spokesman had said.