Kashmir Police File Murder Case Against Army Major After Two Civilians Die in Firing

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have filed a murder and attempt to murder case against Major Aditya of Garhwal Rifles for killing two Kashmiri civilians and causing injuries to eight others in firing at Ganowpora Shopian on Saturday.

The FIR was filed at the behest of the ruling PDP-BJP government.

Two people were killed and several others injured after the Army opened fire on protesters in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Saturday. The district administration had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident and set a deadline of 20 days for the probe report.

Shopian SSP Sri Ram Ambarkar said that an Army convoy was pelted with stones at Ganapora area in the district and the soldiers opened fire in retaliation, resulting in injuries to a few youths.

Also, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti called up Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to express anguish over the civilian deaths.

“The chief minister said every civilian killing, notwithstanding how erroneously made, impairs a political process that has been put on track through hard work by all political parties in the state,” a government press statement read.

Sitharaman on her part has assured the chief minister that she would seek a detailed report on the matter and ensure that such incidents do not recur.

The deceased were identified as Javid Bhat and Sohul Bhat.

Soon after the firing the Army said that it was forced to open fire in self defence. In a statement, the Army said an administrative convoy was passing through Ganaupura chowk in Shopian around 3pm on Saturday when it came “under unprovoked and intense stone pelting” by a group of over 100 people. Within no time, their numbers swelled to 200-250 persons, it said.

The Army said that considering the extreme gravity of the situation, it personnel had to open fire in “self defence to prevent lynching of the JCO and burning of government vehicle by the mob”. A total of seven army men suffered injuries and extensive damage was caused to eleven vehicles. In the process two civilians succumbed to the bullet injuries, it added.