The Handwara killings particularly the death of the talented cricketer Nayeem Ahmed Bhat sparked a massive protest inside Degree College Handwara while hundreds of protesting students marched towards to home of slain Kashmiri cricketer to express sympathies with the bereaved family.At least five persons including Nayeem Ahmed Bhat were killed in Government Forces firing in wake of the violent protests that sparked in the town against alleged molestation bid.Eyewitnesses told CNS that hundreds of students assembled in Degree College ground and amid pro-freedom and anti-India slogans took out a march.
Witnesses said though a large contingent of Police and Para-military troopers were present in the main Handwara chowk, however, they didn’t intervene and allowed the students march in the town.As the march passed off the Handwara roads, shopkeepers downed their shutters while vehicular movement came to a grinding halt. The protest march culminated at Hurpora, the native place of slain cricketer which is some three kilometers away from the Degree College. “We protest against the civilian killings particularly against the murder of Nayeem. Nayeem was a popular figure in the town. People here used to throng to the ground whenever he used to play cricket,” said a student.Reports said that the students clashed with police after they were on way back to College. In reply to the stone-pelting, police fired some tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesting students. (CNS)