He said that lawyers had staged a protest demonstration near the Jamia Masjid after the Friday prayers. The police and CRPF personnel used force to quell the demonstrations.
“After finishing the prayers, the devotees came out on roads to stage peaceful protests,” said Khalid, adding, “Me and my friend were also part of the peaceful protests.
He said, “As we were moving ahead, the SOG personnel fired three bullets. Two of the bullet his the Jamia Masjid while the third one hit Sajjad in abdomen. Sajad fell into my lap after being hit by a bullet. I took him in my arms and two other people helped me to take Sajad up to a vehicle of DSP. We pleaded before him to give us the vehicle so that we could shift him to the hospital. He, however, refused and we had to drag him up to the hospital. Before we could admit him to the hospital, Sajad succumbed after reciting the Kalima Shahadat”.
Khalid said that had the police officer provided them vehicle, Sajad would have survived. “By the time we shifted him to hospital, he had lost blood,” he said, adding, “Sajad breathed his last breath in my lap after reciting “La Illaha-Illallah Muhammad-ur-Rasulallah (SAW)”.
“Sajad could complete his 10+2 only and could not continue his studies. The death of his two elder brothers forced him to quit the studies and earn livelihood for the family. He learnt the “electricity fitting” and started a shop where he used to rent the tent houses on marriage ceremonies,” said Khalid Hussain, a close friend of Sajad.
Sajad had no sister and his father Nazir Ahmad Ganaie, a farmer is a Muazzin (one who calls faithfuls for prayers) in Jamia Masjid Shopian.
While the body of his son was lying outside the mosque yard Nazir gave the Azan (call for namaz), then recited the Takbeer and offered the Maghrib (evening prayers) prayers in the Jamia Masjid.
After the prayers were over, Nazir addressed the mourners after offering Nimaz-e-Jinaza of Sajad. With tears rolling down his cheeks Nazir said, “India’s autocratic rule over Kashmir has to end at any cost. They (Indian troops) have to leave. Kashmiri’s won’t tolerate them”.