SRINAGAR: A day after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti asserted in Legislative Assembly that FIR against army for killing civilians in Shopian would be taken to logical conclusion, BJP legislators Tuesday demanded that FIR registered against army should be withdrawn and case be registered against youth, who pelted stones on Army convoy in Shopian last week.
BJP MLA Rajeev Sharma told Legislative Assembly today that if the government has lodged FIR against the Army, why FIR was not registered against the youth, who pelted stones on the army men and their convoy in Gunowpora village of Shopian.
Two youth were killed and another critically injured in army firing in Gunowpora village of Shopian district on Saturday last.
The BJP MLA said FIR should be immediately registered against the youth, who pelted stones on troops.
He urged the Speaker of the Assembly to direct the government to withdraw FIR against army.
“The Army men had fired in self-defence after they were attacked by stone pelters,” the BJP MLA said.
Other BJP members in the house also supported Rajeev and demanded registration of FIR against the stone pelting youth and withdrawal of FIR against army.
The J&K police has registered an FIR No 26/2018 PRC under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 336 (endangering life) against Army’s 10 Garhwal Regiment for killing the two youth. The FIR also named Army officer, Major Aditya, who was commanding the 10 Garhwal Regiment.
Army has claimed that troops fired after coming under heavy stone pelting from the youth and besides an attempt was made to lynch a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO).
BJP spokesman Prof Virendra Gupta has said nothing should be done to demoralise the armed forces.
He said the circumstances that were created by stone pelters in Shopian left no option for army men but to resort to firing in self defence.
“It is unfortunate that FIR has been lodged against army unit and Major and no FIR has been registered against stone pelters,” Gupta said.
The activists of Jammu-based party National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today protested in Jammu against registration of an FIR against Army.
The protestors accused the PDP-BJP coalition government of appeasing anti-nationals and separatists in the Valley.
They demanded withdrawal of FIR against the army.
Mehbooba had yesterday asserted in Assembly that probe against army would be taken to the logical conclusion.
“The government has already ordered magisterial inquiry into killing of two youth by army in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday and registered an FIR against army. The probe will be taken to logical conclusion,” she said.
Mehbooba further said army would not be demoralized by registration of a single FIR.
“Army as an institution has done a great job but the grace of an institution only enhances once the black sheep within are identified and weeded out,” she added.