3 army bunkers razed in Handwara. Locals name one after cricketer Nayeem

The Kupwara district administration announced that it has handed over the army bunker in the main chowk to the social forestry and tourism departments.

The municipal authorities also erected a board on the premises of the bunker, marking the place for conversion into a public park.

As soon as the bunker was demolished, a group of people came forward and put up a banner proclaiming the main chowk as "Shaheed Nayeem Chowk" after 19-year old Nayeem Bhat, who was killed in police firing last week. Apparently, he was shot at by a policeman when he was on his way back home.

The deceased Nayeem, a promising cricketer at the under-19 level, became the symbol of the recent protests in Handwara. When Handwara MLA Sajjad Ghani Lone came and announced that the bunker will be converted into a park, the people present shouted that they wanted it named after Nayeem.

Clashes in Handwara began last Tuesday after news spread of the alleged molestation of a young girl by an army man. Five people including a minor and an elderly woman were killed after security forces fired on the protestors.