Militants set shop on fire in J&K, one injured

23 December 2002
The Times of India

Srinagar: In a barbaric act, four persons on Monday set ablaze a shopkeeper dealing with cigarettes by sprinkling petrol on him here. The shopkeeper, Mohammad Shafi Teli suffered serious burn injuries while his shop located in Chandpora locality of Habbakadal in the city was gutted in the incident, official sources said. Police has registered a case and started investigation into the incident, they said. Shafi, who was admitted to SMHS hospital, said four unknown people came to his shop this morning and set him on fire sprinkling petrol on him without any provocation. A caller introducing himself as a spokesman of hitherto unknown Hai-e-allal Fallah told NAFA, a local news agency, that its activists were responsible for the incident. The shopkeeper, they alleged, was selling selling cigarettes laced with narcotics and that the primary aim of the outfit was to cleanse the society of such evils.