Valley man’s death in shooting by CRPF trooper sparks stir
Former J&K CM Omar Abdullah calls for a probe
SRINAGAR: A 25-year-old man was killed when paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper fired at his car for allegedly jumping two check post at Beerwah in Jammu & Kashmir Budgam district on Wednesday.
The killing of Peer Mehrajudin sparked protests in the area and forced the authorities to snap mobile internet in the district.
The CRPF insisted the trooper was forced to fire as Mehrajudin jumped the check posts while an army convoy was passing by the area even as his family said he was shot dead without any reason.
Mehrajudin’s father, Ghulam Nabi, said he was initially told his son had been injured. He said Mehrajudin had left home along with his uncle in the morning and was shot dead while on his way to work. Nabi, a retired government employee, said he has no knowledge why his son “was killed like this without any reason”.
“In the morning, he left home for work and hours later, his dead body arrived at our house. This is inhuman,” he said.
Dozens of people gathered outside Mehrajudin’s residence and raised slogans against his killing.
Residents said Mehrajudin’s uncle, Ghulam Hassan, a policeman, who was travelling with him when the CRPF fired on the car, was taken by police as he is an eyewitness to this incident.
CRPF spokesman Pankaj Singh said Mehrajudin’s car jumped a police check post and sped past another one of the paramilitary force. “At that time, a convoy of Army was passing through the adjacent road and fearing sabotage, the CRPF jawan, manning this check post, fired warning shots. The civil car was driving in the wrong direction of the road. When the car did not stop the jawan fired at the car and in turn, the driver was hit on his left shoulder. He was shifted to a hospital in Srinagar, where he was declared brought dead...”
A police spokesperson said a case has been registered and investigation has been initiated in the matter.
Former J&K CM Omar Abdullah called for a probe. “Very unfortunate. The circumstances surrounding this shooting need to be impartially investigated & findings made known. My condolences to the family of the deceased,” he tweeted.