Army lorry crushes 10-yr-old girl to death in Lasjan

Locals stage demo, damage vehicle; Police fires tear shells

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt. May 12th, 2009 by Abdul Mohamin

Srinagar, May 11: A fast moving army vehicle crushed to death a 10 year old girl at Lasjan, evoking massive anti-army demonstrations with protestors damaging the vehicle. Eyewitnesses said that one of the vehicles (02D/49794) in the army convoy hit a 10 year old girl Khushboo daughter of Abdul Qayoom at Lasjan Byepass at around 4 pm while she was crossing the road. “She was dragged by the vehicle for few meters, causing her on spot death,” they said. The army vehicle, according to the eyewitnesses, tried to speed away from the spot after killing the girl. However, the vehicle was blocked by a tipper, bringing to complete halt the army convoy. People in large numbers gathered at the scene of the accident and ransacked the army vehicle. Raising anti-army slogans, the protestors broke the windows of the vehicle and alleged that troopers were ‘intentionally killing’ the Kashmiris. They demanded action against the guilty army driver. A contingent of cops from Nowgam and Pantha-Chowk police stations reached the spot and resorted to cane charge and fired tear smoke shells to disperse the agitating people. The locals accused SHO of Nowgam police station of using excessive force against the protesters. “Instead of pacifying the locals, the police officer used force against them,” said an elderly person.The police officials, present on the spot, said they tried to pacify the protesters that investigations will be launched. “The protestors refused to disperse and demanded that SSP City should visit the spot and order impartial probe,” they said, adding, “They had no option but to use mild force to restore law and order situation”.The stand-off led to the traffic jams on the Byepass with vehicles on both sides remaining stranded for hours together on the road. As the protestors continued to block the road to press authorities to punish the guilty army driver, police again resorted to tear gas shelling at 7.10 pm. After the police action, partial vehicular movement on the road was restored and vehicles were allowed to move towards their destinations. Meanwhile, till last reports, police had not registered FIR against the army.Driver arrested, inquiry ordered: ArmyDefence Col Uma Maheshwar Monday said army regrets the death of the innocent girl child who was overrun by their vehicle.He said that the driver had been arrested and a high level inquiry ordered. “Stern action will be taken against the driver as per the law of the land,” he said.