Indian forces martyr five Kashmiris in IoK

SRINAGAR: Five people were martyred and dozens were injured including a woman by Indian forces in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) in Anantnag district on Friday.

The Indian troops opened fire on a house during a cordon and search operation in Srigufwara area of the district, Kashmir Media service reported.

The firing resulted in the killing of the owner of the house Muhammad Yousuf Rather and critically injuring his wife Hafeeza Begum. 

The troops also martyred four youth and destroyed a house during the operation. Earlier, an Indian policeman was killed and two troops were injured in an attack in the same area.

The injured were shifted to sub-district hospital Bijbehara for treatment.

In retaliation, protests have erupted in the area against the cordon and search operation and subsequent killings. 

Indian police and troops fired pellets and teargas shells to disperse the protesters, leading to clashes between the demonstrators and the forces.

According to reports, dozens of protestors sustained injuries during the clashes.

Two days ago, three Kashmiri youths were martyred by the Indian forces.

The Indian troops martyred the youngsters during a siege and search operation in Tral area of Pulwama district and also bombed a residential house in the vicinity.

A June 14 report by the United Nations (UN) accused India of having used excessive force in IoK to martyr and wound civilians since 2016, as it called for an international inquiry into the accusations of rights violations.

The first UN report on human rights in Indian-occupied Kashmir focuses mainly on serious violations in the region from July 2016 to April 2018.

Activists estimate that up to 145 civilians were martyred by security forces and up to 20 civilians martyred by armed groups in the same period, it said.

“In response to demonstrations that started in 2016, Indian security forces used excessive force that led to unlawful killings and a very high number of injuries,” the report said.