Youth found dead, cops blame ultras

Srinagar, August 20

A bullet-riddled body of a 17-year-old student was recovered from Shopian district today.

The J&K Police has blamed militants for the killing of the teenager, identified as Gowher Ahmad Dar of Urpora Zainapora Shopian. His body was found at around 11.30 am at Nagbal in Shopian, close to his native village. Later, the villagers took his body to a local hospital.

“We got information about a bullet-riddled body lying at Nagbal. The police party later found the boy was shot in the head twice,” Shopian SP Ambarkar Shriram Dinka said.

Gowher had gone missing last evening and the family did not lodge any complaint with the local police.

“We have registered a case and investigation has been taken up. However, initial probe hints that local militants are involved in his killing,” the SP said.

Meanwhile, suspected militants also shot a cable operator in Shopian. A police officer said Hilal Ahmad Malik was critically wounded when militants fired at him near his residence. “He was shifted to a hospital where doctors declared him brought dead,” he said. — TNS