Clashes Break Out as J&K Police Van Crushes Class X Student to Death

Srinagar: A student of class X, Tehseen Nazir, was crushed to death by a speeding police vehicle in Nowgam area of Srinagar here on Tuesday following which massive clashes ensued between locals and police in the locality.

Tehseen’s father Nazir Ahmad works as a peon in the same school where his son studied. He told NewsClick that Tehseen was on his way for tuition when he was killed by the police van.

“They have taken away my life, they have crushed my eyes. I had never imagined my only son would be killed like this,” a devastated Nazir told NewsClick.

As the protests were taking place in the locality, mourners rushed to Tehseen’s home, some of them preparing his grave in the same vicinity. Locals alleged, however, the police went on a “rampage” in the area following the incident.

“They killed my son first and then hit my wife...she is not able to even mourn for her dead son,” Nazeer added.

The devastated family of Tehseen including his only sister sat in their home waiting for the body, his mother Parveena, traumatised by her son’s sudden death, could hardly speak.

“They hit everyone including women and children while we were on our way to attend my son’s family,” Tehseen’s grandmother said.

Nazeer’s neighbors alleged the police broke the window panes of their homes as they barged into the locality firing shells.

“They do not even allow us to mourn. The police created all the havoc in the area after they committed this heinous crime. The tragedy befell on the entire locality,” a local woman said.

At least four others were also injured including a 62 years old person, identified as Mohammad Yousuf, who suffered a shell injury in his leg following the protests that ensued in the area. While Yousuf is being treated at Srinagar’s bone and joint hospital, three others have been discharged, according to an official in the hospital.

Following the incident, clashes broke out in the area between locals and police in which the police resorted to heavy tear-gas shelling in an attempt to disperse the crowd demanding action against the perpetrators.

According to eye-witnesses, the vehicle belonging to J&K armed police that killed Tehseen at around 9 am also rammed into a civilian vehicle and hit a power transformer leaving it damaged. The 16-year-old was declared brought dead at a Srinagar hospital.

A police spokesperson said they are investigating the incident and have registered an FIR. “Driver of the police vehicle has been arrested,” the police spokesperson said.