JK Police Registers 'Attempt To Murder' Case Against CRPF
CRPF in Jammu and Kashmir
NEW DELHI: The Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered a case of "attempt to murder" against the CRPF following the killing of an engineering student on the outskirts of capital Srinagar last Saturday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the state.
Clashes continued in various parts of Srinagar, especially the Old City, throughout the day on Monday with the hundreds of doctors at the leading SMHS Hospital and students of the University of Kashmir joining in to stage massive protests against the killing of Gowhar Nazir Dar.
Police sources said over two dozen people including a bank manager and few cops suffered injuries during clashes that broke out in Gojwara, Nowhatta, Bohri Kadal and Saraf Kadal areas of Srinagar where agitated youths urged the shopkeepers to down the shutters and protest against Gowhar's killing.
Gowhar, whose grandmother passed away on Sunday due to shock, was shot dead allegedly by CRPF personnel outside his home near Zainakote when he had gone out to purchase milk, according to his family members, "The FIR No 289 has been filed against CRPF's 44 battalion under sections 307, 147, 148, 149 336, 352 and 332 ar Parimpora police station," a senior J&K Police officer said.
According to preliminary investigations, there was no protest in the area at the time of the incident and a police deployment was removed from the area earlier in the day. Police sources said Gowhar was not participating in any protest and the CRPF had unilaterally entered the area and resorted to intense teargas shelling.
"The investigations are on and we are going to add sections of murder to the FIR already registered against the CRPF unit," the police officer said. The CRPF has also initiated a probe into the killing.
The additional district magistrate of Srinagar, who has been tasked to probe the killing by the state government, Monday urged witnesses to come forward and record their statements from November 12.
“Anyone who has any knowledge or material evidence in terms of Audio Visual/Video Clips/Photographs etc about the incident and is willing to share the same with the undersigned should come forward for recording their statements in office chamber at District Headquarter ( DC Office) Srinagar (Tankipora) on Nov 12, 14, and 16 during office hours,” an official spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front has called the inquiry into the murder as an attempt to ‘shield the killers’ while the veteran Hurriyat leader, Syed Ali Geelani has urged people to hold a condolence meeting in memory of Gowhar at his residence on Wednesday.
Moderate Hurriyat chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Monday called the family of Gowhar over phone and expressed condolences and sympathy. Mirwaiz, who continues to be under house arrest, said people of Kashmir are with the bereaved family in such difficult times.
"The presence of military camps in villages and towns of Kashmir is one of the main reasons of the killings of civilian youth. These 'killer camps' should be immediately removed," he said.