Boy drowns to death in Kashmir

Srinagar, April 22 : A 17-year-old boy drowned to death in a stream in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Friday afternoon, officials said. Shabir Ali Mir, a resident of Gund Hasibhat, drowned in Suknag Nalla at Kawoosa Budgam. His body was fished out from the stream by the locals on Friday evening. While police says they are enquiring into the circumstances which led to the drowning, the local said that the boy was drowned in the Sukhnag Nallah at Kawoosa during a law and order situation in the village. ” The boy drowned during protests in the village,” a local said. Witnesses said the village witnessed protests after the killing of the top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Yousuf Kantroo and two of his associates in a gun battle in Baramulla district. Incidentally, Kawoosa is the native village of Kantroo who was amongst the list of top ten most wanted militants of Kashmir. Police said they are enquiring into the incident. “Police Budgam is enquiring into the circumstances which lead to the drowning of the individual,” a police statement said. MJR GK