A boy in his teens who was injured during protests last month in Jammu and Kashmir died at a Srinagar hospital in the early hours this morning, prompting authorities to reimpose restrictions in certain parts of the city, officials said.
Asrar Ahmed Khan, who was around 18 years old, was part of a mob carrying out protests in Soura on August 6, a day after Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and announced its bifurcation into two union territories, they said, according to news agency Press Trust of India.
Restrictions were reimposed in downtown Srinagar and parts of the Civil Lines area as a precautionary measure after Khan’s demise.
Khan, was admitted to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Soura and died shortly after midnight on Wednesday, officials said. “He did not have any bullet injuries,” a top police official confirmed.
According to the officials, the young man was injured with a blunt object that day when the angered crowd was protesting abrogation of Article 370. The protesters then alleged that Khan was hit by a tear gas shell.
Additional Director General of Police Munir Khan, who was at a press conference during which the Army had released a video of two Pakistani terrorists, said the matter was being investigated.
Jammu and Kashmir has been under strict curfew and communication restrictions since its special status was taken away by the Modi government. According to BBC, under heavy restrictions there have been multiple reports of violence and human rights violation by the administration, where civilians have been detained and tortured. The Government has said the restrictions are necessary to restore normalcy in the region and to curb violent incidents.