Elderly man dies after run over by police vehicle in Baramulla

 SRINAGAR: An elderly man died after he was run over by a police vehicle in north Kashmir's Baramulla district when policemen had gone to arrest his son for allegedly staging demonstration in the area.

A police team last night went to the house of Abdul Aziz Ahangar at Delina in Baramulla district to pick up his son who was allegedly involved in enforcing a shutdown in the north Kashmir town yesterday, police officials said.

The shutdown was called by separatist groups to protest killings of civilians in Shopian of South Kashmir on Sunday.As the policemen where taking away the boy, whose identity could not be ascertained, Ahangar pleaded with them to release him claiming him to be innocent, the officials said.

While the 60-year-old father was pleading with vehicle-borne policemen for release of his son, the driver of the vehicle started driving the vehicle in the reverse direction, they said. 

Ahangar was injured as he was hit by the vehicle. He was taken to district hospital Baramulla where he succumbed to injuries, the officials said.They said a case under section 304 A has been registered against the driver constable Abdul Ahad.
The driver has been arrested and the police vehicle has also been seized, the officials said, adding further investigation into the matter is on.

There was anger in the area against Ahangar's death and protests were expected this morning. However, senior police officials defused the situation by holding talks with local elders and Ahangar was laid to rest, the officials said.