Girl among seven people injured as clashes rock Budgam’s Magam over Qasim Solemani’s poster removal
*Officials from Police, admin visit area, meet locals; allegations being inquired into, traffic restored, situation under control: Police; Army officer re-installs poster, tenders apology*
Naveed ul Haq
Budgam, Feb 15 (KNO): At least seven people including a girl were injured in clashes that erupted in Magam area of Budgam district where some army personnel allegedly burnt the picture of Qasim Solemani, a former Iranian army commander.
Solemani was an Iranian military officer who was killed in a drone attack at Baghdad International Airport some years back.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) Correspondent, the locals staged a protest against the Army for allegedly setting the picture of Qasim Solemani ablaze.
“We will continue to protest till there is an apology from the involved army men,” a local protestor said.
Police used tear smoke shells, pellets and mild lathi charge to chase away the protestors. In the clashes, officials said that seven persons sustained pellet injuries who were identified as Dilawar Ahmad Bhat S/o Ali Mohammad R/o Yagipora Magam, who received pellet injury in eye, Gulshan D/o Mohd Maqbool R/o Yagipora Magam, pellet injury in leg, Mohd Yousuf Bhat S/o Gh Hassan R/o Yagipora Magam, pellet injury in leg, Akhtar Hussain Dar S/o Mohd Jaffar Dar R/o Babapora Magam, suffocation/stampede, Majid Hussain S/o Gh Hassan Malik R/o Sehpora, pellet injury in both limbs, Ubaid Ahmad Mir S/o Altaf Hussain R/o Magam, suffocation/stampede, and Irfana D/o Mohd Saffdar Banka R/o Malbuchan, head injury due to slipping on road.
“All the injured were referred to Srinagar for treatment from SDH Magam,” the official said.
A police spokesman in a statement to KNO said that today at 1 pm, people of village Mabuchan, Magam held protest at Magam main chowk alleging that a party of security forces while on patrol in the village misbehaved with locals of the village. “Senior police and civil officers visited the spot and talked to locals. Traffic has been restored and situation is under control,” he said, adding that the officers assured locals that allegations are being inquired into and necessary action, if required, shall be taken accordingly. Meanwhile, a video that went viral showed an army officer apologising and re-installing the photograph of Solemani. The officer, however, was seen asking the people not to paste Solemani’s photographs in army uniform. Later, situation came back to normal—(KNO)
