Soldier’s brother killed in army firing; police say he was not hurling stones

SRINAGAR: Khalid Malik, the 21-year-old youth who was killed in the army firing in Kupwara on Wednesday evening, was not pelting stones and belonged to a family whose three sons are serving the country. His elder brother Asif Malik is serving the Indian army while his other two brothers are in the police.

“I came home on leave, a few hours before my brother was killed, on Wednesday,” said Asif whose unit is in Tanghdar on the Line of Control (LoC).

Police said that Khalid was not a stone pelter. “He was not involved in stone pelting. He was killed by a bullet which hit his neck near his shop. A bullet does not see before hitting anybody,” said Trehgam station house officer Pervaiz Ahmad, who confirmed that deceased’s three brothers are working in the police and army.

“We have registered an FIR under Sections of 147 and 148 (rioting), 336 (endangering life of others), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 307 (attempt to murder),” he said.

District administration has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the killing to be completed by Handwara additional deputy commissioner Muzaffar Hussain. Khalid was killed when army soldiers opened fire in Trehgam after their convoy was pelted with stones amid a strike called by separatists in the wake of civilian killings.

Army spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that a mob of 30-40 youth resorted to heavy stone pelting at army’s patrol party in Trehgam when an army convoy was passing through the area. As per Khalid’s neighbours, Khalid used to remain busy in his life by selling groceries and essential items in his village shop. “We offered prayers in the same mosque. I live in one mohallah and he lives in the opposite. He was hit by a bullet on the back of his neck when he was not far from his home,” he said.

MILITANT KILLED IN KUPWARA ENCOUNTER

A militant was killed by security forces in an ongoing operation against militants in the forests of Kupwara in north Kashmir on Thursday, a day after army’s paratrooper was killed. Army spokesman Rajesh Kalia said the militant was killed in Kupwara’s Menganwar. “Weapon and warlike stores recovered. Operation continues,” he said. Army paid tributes to paratrooper Mukut Bihari Meena who was killed in the gunfight on Wednesday.

KHALID WAS KILLED WHEN ARMY SOLDIERS OPENED FIRE IN TREHGAM AFTER THEIR CONVOY WAS PELTED WITH STONES AMID A STRIKE CALLED BY SEPARATISTS