Agencies-Gaza post
Two teenagers shot dead in India protests against prophet remarks
Two teenagers were shot dead in violence in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, as police cracked down on protests that erupted across the country over derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad by two leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The families of Mudasir, 14, and Sahil Ansari, 19, asserted the deaths to Al Jazeera, alleging that the police used disproportionate force against the demonstrators who took out a march in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, after congregational Friday prayers demanding the arrest of two BJP leaders.
Dozens of protesters have been wounded after protests turned violent. A senior police officer in Ranchi was also wounded, according to local media reports. A witness told Al Jazeera the situation worsened after Hindus organised counter protests.
The BJP suspended its spokeswoman Nupur Sharma for making insulting statements against Islam’s prophet and expelled another leader, Naveen Jindal, for his anti-Islam tweet after a diplomatic backlash from Muslim countries. The Hindu nationalist party said the offensive remarks did not reflect the government’s position and that the comments were made by “fringe elements”.
Mudasir was shot in the head by police and he succumbed to his injuries at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, his uncle Shahid Ayyubi told Al Jazeera.
Sahil’s brother Faizan said that he was hit by a bullet in the back while returning house after prayers. “The bullet ruptured his kidney and he died at the hospital after some time,” Faizan told Al Jazeera, adding that his brother was not even part of the demonstrations. Sahil ran a battery repair shop in the city.
Al Jazeera could not independently verify the claims made by the family. However, a local news agency confirmed that they died of gunshot injuries.
A police officer in Ranchi told AFP news agency that “police were forced to open fire to disperse protesters… resulting in the death of two.”
‘The job of the police is to rescue, not to shoot’
The bodies of Mudasir and Sahil were handed to the families late in the night as the administration imposed curfew-like restrictions including suspension of mobile internet services in the city purportedly as a security measure.
“Mudasir was a child, barely 14 awaiting his matric exam result,” said Ayyubi, his voice breaking. “He took part in the protests and now he is no more between us. He was the only child of his parents. We are shocked.”
The family called on the government to put “murderers of Mudasir in jail and give them strict punishment”.
