Will take FIR against army to logical conclusion: Mehbooba
Says it will not demoralise armymen; opposition continues protest over the killing of two civilians; police to start recording statements today
JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday brushed aside the PDP’S coalition partner BJP’S objections to an FIR against the army for the death of two civilians in Shopian last week, saying it would be taken to its logical conclusion.
While she expressed regret over the incident, she also ruled out that the FIR would demoralise the army even as the Opposition continued to rail over the killing of two civilians.
“I don’t think the Army will be demoralized by a single FIR. Army is an institution and it has played a good role but there can be black sheep. If any army officer has made a mistake, it becomes the duty of the government to take the FIR to its logical conclusion,” she said while replying to an adjournment motion moved by the Opposition in legislative assembly here.
She further said that she had given clear directions to the security forces to exercise utmost restraint while dealing with the crowds. Mehbooba’a assertion came even as the PDP’S coalition partner BJP demanded that the FIR be withdrawn.
“The government should withdraw the FIR against the Army personnel and lodge a fresh FIR without naming anybody,” BJP MLA RS Pathania said while speaking in the assembly.
Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, Omar Abdullah said that there should not be politics over killings of innocent people and that they must stop.
“This continuous vicious cycle of killings must end. We all have to end this bloodshed. We don’t want to play politics over it,” he said.
Omar Abdullah claimed that soldiers had fired at chest height and asked that when an FIR was registered against the army personnel, why did the government order a magisterial probe?
He said that National Conference was ready to cooperate and support the chief minister aimed at ending the violence but “she must take measures to put an end to the killings.”
Earlier on Monday, there was pandemonium in the assembly over the killings with National Conference and Congress legislators demanding a discussion over the incident.
While legislators had brought placards and pictures of Shopian incident, amid the din Khanyar MLA Ali Mohammed Sagar was heard saying, “The business should be suspended to discuss the killings.” Amid the ruckus the chief minister urged the Speaker to allow a discussion.
An FIR under Section 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 336 (endangering life) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) stands registered against soldiers of 10 Garhwal unit that was being led by Major Aditya.
HC BODY DEMANDS WITHDRAWAL OF CASE The Jammu & Kashmir High Court Bar Association’s Jammu chapter has condemned Saturday’s attack on Army at Shopian in which several jawans were injured in stone-pelting and vehicles were damaged.
In a meeting on Monday, advocate Sachin Gupta, vice-president of J&K High Court Bar Association, stressed upon the need of strengthening security in the valley and Jammu province .