MAJ ADITYA’S FATHER MOVES SC
SHOPIAN FIRING Major Aditya Kumar’s father says his son’s intention was to save army personnel and property, wants FIR by J&K police to be quashed
The father of army major Aditya Kumar on Thursday moved the Supreme Court, demanding that an FIR registered against his son by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the death of three civilians be quashed.
His son was just doing his duty and was “wrongly and arbitrarily” named,Lt Col Karamveer Singh said in his plea.
The soldiers opened fire only to impair and provide a safe escape from a savage and violent mob engaged in terrorist activity. THE PETITION BY LIEUTENANT COLONEL KARAMVEER SINGH
The father of army major Aditya Kumar on Thursday moved the Supreme Court, demanding that a First Information Report registered last month against his son by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the killing of three civilians be quashed because the officer was merely doing his duty.
Major Kumar’s intention was to save army personnel and property, Lieutenant Colonel Karamveer Singh said in his petition, which is likely to add fuel to the controversy surrounding the FIR, which has already driven a wedge between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the People’s Democratic Party, the two partners in the Jammu and Kasmir government.
Major Kumar, who is with 10 Garhwal Rifles, was named in the FIR filed against his unit after the army firing on protesters left three people dead in Shopian on January 27.
Police have accused the Garhwal unit of murder, attempt to murder and endangering life.
The soldiers opened fire “only to impair and provide a safe escape from a savage and violent mob engaged in terrorist activity”, the plea said.
The army had on February 1 submitted its version of events to police.
It said the soldiers fired on protesters in Ganawpora village in “self defence” to prevent the lynching of an officer, snatching of weapons by villagers and burning of their vehicles.
Lt Col Singh’s plea echoed the army’s position.
When the mob got hold of a junior commissioned officer and was about to lynch him, warning shots were fired to dis- perse the people and protect public property, the plea said.
The army was working in “extremely hostile conditions”, Singh said and cited the lynching of DSP Mohd Ayub Pandith to drive home the point.
The DSP was beaten to death outside a mosque in Srinagar.
The Supreme Court is likely to take up the case on Friday .