A class 2 student from a private school in Jammu and Kashmir sustained a head injury on Wednesday, 2 May, after stone-pelters attacked a school bus carrying him and other students in the state’s Shopian district.
The bus was reportedly attacked in the Zavoora area of the district, injuring the boy, Rohan Gersai. Gersai was immediately referred to the SMHS Hospital in Srinagar, where doctors attending to him told PTI that his condition was stable.
Speaking to ANI, the student’s father said:
My son has been injured in stone pelting, this is against humanity. This could have been anyone’s child.
The police has taken cognisance of the incident and a hunt for the miscreants is underway. Shailendra Kumar, SSP of Shopian told ANI:
Few miscreants gheraoed the school bus and hurled stones at it, one student injured. The area has been sanitised, search for stone pelters is underway and they will be arrested soon.
Meanwhile, the driver of the bus told ANI that once he realised that stones were being pelted at the bus, he sped up in an attempt to save the children. However, one student ended up injured despite his efforts, he said.
The incident evoked a sharp reaction from Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who said perpetrators of this senseless and cowardly act will be brought to justice soon.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah too condemned the attack on the school bus, which was reportedly carrying around 35 students.
Abdullah further said that the amnesty granted to stone-pelters was to encourage "reasonable behaviour", but that some "goons" were determined to use the amnesty as an opportunity to pelt more stones.
Condemning the incident, Director General of Police SP Vaid said, "Complete madness how stone-pelters are targeting young school children. These criminals will face the law."
National Conference spokesman Junaid Mattu also condemned the incident and took a dig at separatists, saying:
One would expect (Syed Ali Shah) Geelani and Mirwaiz (Umer Farooq) to take a conscientious call and condemn stone-pelting while reserving the right to espouse their political ideologies through non-violence. You can’t claim the moral high ground while refusing to condemn this unequivocally.
Miscreants Hurl Petrol Bomb at Shopian MLA's House
In a separate incident of violence, miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at the house of PDP MLA in Shopian on Wednesday, 2 May. The leader however, was not present at his residence when the incident took place.
A guard, who was reportedly present at the house when the incident took place, called the fire department and doused the fire, reported PTI. The window of the attic suffered damage in the attack.
This is not the first time protesters have targeted MLA Mohd Yusuf Bhat’s resident. Earlier in 2016, his house withstood a grenade attack in October, while a mob also reportedly set fire to the security picket outside his residence in August.
Stone-Pelters Attack Tourist Bus, Injure 7
Meanwhile, in another episode of stone-pelting, a group of stone-pelters had reportedly attacked a bus carrying local residents and tourists on Monday evening, injuring at least seven tourists.
According to a Hindustan Times report, the bus was passing through the Ashmuqam area in Pahalgam on Monday evening, when a mob suddenly began throwing stones at passing vehicles.
A witness and tourist from Kerala told the daily that the area appeared to have been hosting a fair, when some protesters, angered by something, began pelting stones a passing vehicles. The stones allegedly shattered the windowpanes of the vehicle, injuring at least seven fellow-tourists, he said.
However, the local authorities and residents were reportedly swift to ensure that the injured persons were given proper care. Concurring with the tourists statement, Pahalgam sub-divisional magistrate Mohammad Ashraf told HT:
We ensured that the injured were taken care of. I personally accompanied them to their hotel in Srinagar and returned after midnight.
He added that at least ten local vehicles were also damaged in the attack.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI and IANS)
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