Srinagar, June 2: Tension continues to prevail in South Kashmir, particularly in the downtown Srinagar region which remains on the edge after the death of one among the three protesters who were mowed down by a speeding CRPF vehicle on Friday. The Jammu & Kashmir police has registered two FIRs against the local CRPF unit.

The deceased has been identified as Kaiser Ahmad. The 20-year-old youth sustained brutal injuries to his head and spine after being crushed under the vehicle outside the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar after the Friday congregational prayers.

The CRPF, in a statement issued today, said the driver of its convoy was only attempting to save the battalion from being lynched. "There was no bullet or pellet fired at the protesters," said CRPF PRO Sanjay Sharma.

"They (protesters) came very close, some of them even climbed on the vehicle. The protesters were trying to lynch people inside the vehicle and the driver was trying to get out of the situation," he added.

The vehicle was carrying second-in-command of CRPF's 28 Battalion, he added, further conceding that some protesters might had been run-over unintentionally.

In the videos going viral on social media, a hostile mob of protesters is seen pelting stones at the CRPF vehicle. In a bid to escape from the site, the vehicle speeds through the crowd, running over at least 3 among the protesters.

The incident has been condemned by the Opposition National Conference, seeking accountability from the Mehbooba Mufti government.

"Earlier they tied people to the fronts of jeeps & paraded them around villages to deter protesters. Now they just drive their jeeps right over protesters. Is this your new SOP @MehboobaMufti sahiba? Ceasefire means no guns, so use jeeps? (sic)" former chief minister Omar Abdullah said on Twitter.

Abdullah, while accepting the fact that the protesters had pelted stones at the CRPF vehicle, said "running over them" is no means to quell a demonstration.

NC spokesperson Junaid Mattu questioned the role of J&K police, saying, "You allow a CRPF gypsy to speed through a hostile crowd - didn't you know this could happen."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 02, 2018 02:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).