“I would have never complained if Imtiyaz was a militant and would have been killed but he was an innocent unarmed boy who was working at the time when he was fired at.”

“Why was my son killed?” this is the question that Bakhti keeps asking to everyone who consoles her on the death of her 24-year-old son.

The mere glimpse of his photograph triggers grief and now the family hides Imtiyaz’s pictures. He was working in the office of a cable operator as helper on a monthly salary of Rs 1500.

Youngest among two brothers and a sister, Imtiyaz had studied up to XII standard. He left his studies to help his family.

Imtiyaz’s father Abdul Gani Bhat works as a salesperson in a shop. One of his elder brothers, Tariq Ahmad, drives an auto rickshaw, while Riyaz Ahmad works as a labour.

“Among all my children Imtiyaz was most passionate,” said his mother. Recalling the day of his killing, she said that on August 12 at around 10.30 am, Imtiyaz was repairing a cable connection when he was fired upon by CRPF troopers and bullets piercing through his heart. He died later.

She revealed that curfew was imposed on that day but police was allowing people to move freely in the streets.

“Imtiyaz was having tea when he received the call to repair the connection. He told me that the protests have stopped and he had to go for work. After half an hour, we heard that he was dead,” said Bakthi.

According to the locals, August 12 witnessed killings in Lasjan as three people, including two youth and an old woman were killed and more than 12 injured by the troopers. E.

“Imtiyaz was the first to be hit by the bullets of CRPF men followed by another youth. We immediately arranged an ambulance to carry them to hospital but the troopers stopped us by keeping their vehicle in the middle of the road. It was only after pleading for half an hour that they let us go but it was too late. The doctors at Sri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital declared them brought dead,” said Ghulam Muhammad, a resident.

“The hospital authorities provided us an ambulance to carry the bodies back home.

“While on way home, we were stopped by the police. They broke the window glasses of the ambulance and beat everyone accompanying the bodies to pulp. Even the bodies were dragged out,” he added.

Bakhti has regrets that she didn’t have last glimpse of her slain son. ”I was not fortunate enough,” she said.

According to the family members, Imtiyaz was always very afraid of troopers and hence never participated in any protest.

“As we heard the sound of firing we received a call that Imtiyaz was hit by a bullet in his leg. His elder brother Tariq rushed to see his brother but Imtiyaz had been already taken to SMHS Hospital by the locals. Tariq was stopped by the police and was not allowed to go to the hospital.

The family said that after great difficulty they were able to lodge an FIR in the local police station.