Omar challenges CRPF, Orders judicial inquiry Says Non-local Person Was Militant; ‘We’ll Have To Prove Who 3 Slain Youth Were’ Shopian Killings Srinagar, Oct 1: Challenging the CRPF version into Shopian killings, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday ordered a judicial probe into the Shopian incident in which four youth were killed in firing by CRPF on September 7. Before announcing the inquiry to be conducted by a retired High Court Judge Omar told the Legislative Assembly that the non-local person who was among the youth killed in the firing was a militant, a stand taken by the JK Police as well. The other three killed persons, Omar said were not connected with militancy. Omar ordered the probe a day after the CRPF stated that all the four slain persons were related to militancy. “I am still not satisfied with the facts. I want all facts but I haven’t got them,” Omar said in his reply to the discussion on the adjournment motion moved by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. “Two motorcyclists, five people, four killed, one injured. I only know these things. But I am satisfied with the probe by the police so far that he (non-local) was a militant. He was not a Bihari laborer.” Regarding the other three slain youth Omar said the question was to prove their antecedents. “We have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt what they were and the benefit of the law has to go as the law says you are innocent until proven guilty,” Omar said. “Sweet or bitter, we are bound to tell people of Shopian the truth about the incident. If any security force personnel is guilty, he will be punished by the courts and whatever action is possible, will be taken.” On September 9, a police statement said three of the four persons killed in the September 7 firing were civilians. However, it said the “evidences and verification suggested” that fourth “non-local looking person” was a Lashkar-e-Toibamilitant. The three youth were Tauseef Ahmad Bhat of Baba Mohalla Shopian, Muhammad Yousuf Sofi of Durpora, Zainapora, Shopian and Tariq Ahmad Mir of Wukai, Kulgam. On the day the incident took place CRPF claimed that three militants were killed in the encounter in Shopian outside their Gagren camp while police said two “antinational elements” were killed in the incident. Omar said it was being said that the three persons were “associates” of the killed militant. On Monday Special Director General, CRPF, DK Phatak said: “The claims of their (killed persons) innocence are baseless. One among them was a dreaded Pakistani militant while the three youth killed with him were his associates,” Phatak told Srinagar based CNS news agency. “An associate means you know a person. Who were they (the three youth)? It is a big question that has to be found out,
Posted on: Wed, 02 Oct 2013 05:30:02 +0000
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