0
SRINAGAR: The death of a 28-year-old man in police custody in Indian-administered Kashmir sparked fresh tensions Sunday even as the region's chief minister promised “swift and exemplary action”.
Nazim Rashid was detained by counter-insurgency police Saturday in the northern town of Sopore. He was declared dead early Sunday by police but they gave no reasons for his death.
A police spokesman said a detailed statement would follow. Rashid's family alleged he had been tortured to death.
Tensions were high in Sopore, about 50 kilometres north of Indian-administered Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar, where a total strike was held Sunday in protest at the death.
Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah promised “swift and exemplary action”in a Twitter post. “It is a gross human rights violation and inexcusable. Things like this cannot of allowed to happen,” he said.
Last year more than 110 people were killed when police and security forces fired at demonstrations triggered by the death of a 17-year old youth who was hit by a police teargas shell.
Last week there were protests against the alleged rape of a woman by soldiers, the first major demonstrations this summer.
They raised concerns that the region might see a return to the street violence that has rocked the state over the last three years, leaving scores dead.
To prevent new protests, police placed key separatist leaders opposed to Indian rule under house arrest, police said. “It is a precautionary measure to maintain law and order,” a police spokesman said.
Those detained included Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Geelani, the heads of moderate and hardline factions of the main separatist alliance.
A prominent pro-India leader, Mehbooba Mufti, was also placed under house arrest and prevented from visiting Sopore, police said.
Separately, one soldier was killed in a clash Sunday with militants along the de facto border that splits Kashmir between India and Pakistan, an army officer said.
The fighting started on Saturday, when two soldiers were killed after a group of rebels were detected entering Indian-administered Kashmir from the Pakistani zone of the divided state.
Kashmir is split between India and Pakistan, with the Indian-administered sector hit by a more than two-decade insurgency against New Delhi's rule that has left more than 47,000 people dead.
