Teenager killed in Anantnag

TAWQEER HUSSAIN

After the paramilitary forces beat the women few days in the neighbourhood, Irshad Ahmad became furious back and came out to register the protest against the forces. Irshad confronted with the paramilitary forces and police and dared them to shoot him. He even snatched the bamboo stick from a trooper with which the latter was beating the innocent women.
Since then the 11-year old’s parents were apprehensive about the life of their son.
Relatives and neighbors describe Irshad as sensitive. On Monday, the young child – son of an auto driver – fell to the pallets fired by police while protesting against the earlier incident of women’s beating by police and CRPF.
“On August 18, the CRPF personnel went on rampage, barged into several houses in this old Eidgah locality and even beat up the women. The screams of the women touched the conscience of Irshad as he came out of his house and confronted the forces. He even snatched the bamboo stick from one of the CRPF men and then dared them to shoot,” said his father, Muhammad Ashraf Parray, with moist eyes.
“From that incident, it seemed as if Irshad changed completely. He couldn’t eat and sleep well. Then he said that he was not feeling well and on Sunday evening I took him to hospital for a check up. Her mother pleaded to him to have a rest and not move out,” said Ashraf.
He said that despite not keeping well, Irshad woke up for Sehri (dawn meals) and insisted that he will keep a fast.
“Fearing Irshad may come out for protests, his mother locked him in his room, but in the afternoon he left his home from the window without any body in the family noticing it, never to return,” said Ashraf while breaking down.
He added that before leaving, Irshad had a bath and put on new clothes.
Irshad’s neighbors vouch for his honesty, gentleness and his careful nature.
“He was very shy, down to earth kid, offered prayers five times a day but never tolerated any sort of oppression and would openly raise his voice against it,” says a neighbors.
Some of his friends had seen Irshad offering Zuhar prayers in the nearby Sheikh-ul-Alam Masjid and later the Asar prayers in Jamia Ahlihadith Masjid on Monday.
“When the protests were going on in Cheeni Chowk and Sherbagh area of the old town, Irshad first went to offer prayers in the nearby Jamia Ahlihadith Masjid,” said one of his friends.
He said that after coming out from the masjid, Irshad also started protesting.
Eyewitnesses say that Irshad was deliberately targeted by the police.
“Police personnel from the nearby police station resorted to intense tear gas shelling. After spotting Irshad, they fired pellets from a shot gun at him and he fell down amid a pool of blood,” eyewitnesses told Greater Kashmir.
Irshad had multiple injuries in abdomen, chest and shoulder was immediately rushed to district hospital Islamabad where from he was referred to SMHS. He was declared brought dead by the doctors in SMHS.
A 7th standard student, Irshad is survived by his parents, elder brother studying in 10th standard and younger sister studying in 5th standard.