Yasin Malik, Agnivesh held; police accept lapses in Narbal firing

Police on Saturday arrested Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik and Swami Agnivesh in Srinagar.

A police statement here has accepted that standard operating procedure (SOP) was violated by those security personnel who fired at a mob in Narbal village in which a teenager was killed during clashes.

Malik and Agnivesh earlier sat on a symbolic hunger strike in Maisuma locality of Srinagar city along with activists of JKLF against the government's proposed decision to set up composite townships for migrant Pandits in the Kashmir Valley.

In the afternoon, Malik and Swami Agnivesh decided to proceed to Narbal village where a teenager died in firing by security forces in the morning during clashes between a stone pelting mob and the security forces.

"Yasin Malik and Swami Agnivesh have been taken into preventive custody to maintain law and order in the city," a senior police officer told IANS here.

"They have been lodged inside the Kothibagh police station," he added

Meanwhile, situation continued to remain tense in Narbal village of central Badgam district where the teenager identified as Suhail Ahmad Sofi was killed when security forces opened fire to quell protests.

Protesters have now blocked the Srinagar-Gulmarg road and are squatting on the road along with the body of the slain youth.

Protesters and relatives have refused to bury the teenager's body unless those responsible for the firing incident are identified and brought to justice.

A police statement issued on Saturday said: "Today (Saturday) morning in Narbal (Magam) area there were reports of stone pelting on vehicles plying on Narbal-Gulmarg road."

"Police along with paramilitary police were deployed to contain the situation. The deployed forces came under heavy pelting."

"To control the situation, they fired a few rounds resulting in injuries to a local youth, namely Suhail Ahmad Sofi, son of Abdul Ahad Sofi resident of Narbal, Magam," the statement said.

"Unfortunately the injured later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. We regret the unfortunate incident and extend our sympathies to the bereaved family."

"Preliminary inquiry conducted in the matter indicates that the forces deployed have acted in violation of the laid down SOP," the statement added.

"An FIR Number 34/2015 under the Ranbir Penal Code has been registered in police station Magam and further action would follow."

Reports of protests against the teenager's killing have also come in from Sopore town in north Kashmir.