Kashmiri teenager dies of pellet, tear gas shell wounds

By World News On Sep 5, 2019

When the body of 16-year-old Asrar Khan reached his home in Indian-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday, wails of his grieving parents shattered the tense silence of the night.

Khan, a student of Class 11, was injured in the head by a tear gas shell and pellets on August 6 outside his home in the main city of Srinagar’s Ellahi Bagh area, according to his family and medical records.

He was admitted to the Sher-i-Kashmir-Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS) in a critical condition.

For nearly a month and against all odds, Asrar battled for his life, supported by a ventilator machine. His family said he was declared dead by the doctors on Tuesday evening.

After news of the teenager’s death spread in the region, the Indian authorities tightened ongoing restrictions, fearing protests.

The Indian authorities denied Asrar Khan died due to pellets or tear gas shell injuries, which are often fired by security forces to contain frequent protests in the disputed region.

Indian-administered Kashmir has been under an unprecedented security lockdown since August 4, when the government moved thousands of additional troops and detained political leaders.