September 14, 2002	Saturday	Rajab 6, 1423

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SRINAGAR, Sept 13: Indian forces fired teargas on Friday to quell protests by hundreds of Muslims in Srinagar angered by the killing of two men days before elections in occupied Kashmir.

Protesters tore down all banners in sight of pro-India parties campaigning in the controversial polls due to begin on Monday as they led the body of one of the slain men in a three-kilometre procession.

The mourners forced most shops to shut in Srinagar’s commercial areas as six trucks full of protesters made their way through the city. Police fired teargas repeatedly to disperse the protesters, who chanted slogans against the Srinagar government and Indian rule.

Some angry youths burnt tyres and set up road blocks in Maisuma, the area of Srinagar where the two were killed.

The two slain youths were later buried in Srinagar, with mourners shouting “Death to the troops!”

Protesters alleged that the two men, identified as Nazir Ahmed and Bilal Ahmed, both in their late 20s, were killed when troops of India’s Border Security Force (BSF) fired without provocation.

The BSF denied the allegations, but launched an investigation. It said the two had been caught in crossfire between troops and freedom fighters.

A BSF spokesman said the two men had been detained for questioning after allegations that they had been intimidating people not to participate in elections to the held state’s assembly.

The four-phase vote for the 87-member legislature is taking place between Sept 16 and Oct 8.

A Senior BSF official said that as the two were being held, Mujahideen began shooting from a side road.

“The BSF troops were being fired at and under that pressure they fired back,” he said.

“In the exchange the boys were killed. We have ordered a full investigation into what happened.”

He said one of those who died was an ex-militant of the Al Jihad group.

The protesters on Friday included Javed Mir, the acting chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, whose headquarters are in Maisuma.

In the same area, troops recovered a 10-kilogram improvised explosive planted in a butter oil container at mini-bus stand. It was defused by a bomb disposal squad, a BSF spokesman said.

“The bomb was planted to cause casualties and create panic among the public in view of the ensuing assembly elections,” he said.

Later on Friday police fired teargas to contain a small protest after Friday prayers at Srinagar’s main mosque.—AFP