July 10
“Tell me mother, i am sorry and tell her to donate my books to a poor kid,” Tamsheel told his friend moments before he stopped breathing after being hit with a bullet at Kundalan area of Shopian District in South Kashmir.
A Gunfight had raged early morning on Tuesday in Shopian District when Militants allegedly opened fire on a party of Government Forces who were conducting a search operation in the Kundalan area.
As soon as the news of the encounter spread, hundreds of civilians from nearby areas in an attempt to help the trapped Militants reached the Village throwing stones on Government Forces.
The Troops opened fire upon the protesting civilians killing one and injuring at least 50 admitted in various hospitals of South Kashmir.
One Civilian identified as Tamsheel Son of Khursheed Ahmed Khan who was 15 years old shot received a bullet injury on his head allegedly after the conclusion of the Encounter.
Tamsheel who was a Class 9th student at Boys High School in Vehil Kachdoora, Shopian, his native village had left early morning from his home, acording to his friend, Adil (name changed on request).
“He on the way told me, i think i might be killed today, i have seen a dream that an Army man at a distance shot us both in our heads,” Adil told The Kashmiriyat. On the way to the encounter site, he said, “Tamsheel made fun of death and said it is on the tree, it is there i spotted it.”
There are many youth from our village and all nearby villages who go to the encounter sites because he feels the fear factor no longer exists. “What has India done to stop youth from going to encounter sites,” Adil asked.
“Ironically, 15 year old kids are considered Anti India rather than making an attempt to address and listen to them, India has decided to crush and kill us, long time ago, they have lost hearts and minds here,” Adil feels.
He says As the encounter was officially declared over, the forces fired a volley of bullets at civilians and bullets hit many. “I ran for cover till i found myself in an apple orchard,” Adil told The Kashmiriyat. He says he found that his friend, Tamsheel was not there. “I ran back and saw he lay motionless. He was probably dead,” Adil said.
“He was saying something, i approached closer, he asked me to ask his mother for apologies,” Adil told The Kashmiriyat. Before he shut his eyes, he asked me to donate his school books to any poor kid.
Tamsheen is survived by his father who is a carpenter by profession, a mother and two siblings. He was the youngest among the siblings.
Hospital officials had told The Kashmiriyat that Tamsheen was referred to Srinagar from Shopian District, but he succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.
Thousands of people flocked the Vehil streets as his body reached his home. The Whole area burst into slogans like “Death to the enemy, Kashmir Hamara Chodd do.”
Tamsheen is the fourt civilian to be killed in a span of less than four days. Three civilians had been killed in Firing of Government Forces on Saturday in Kulgam District.