Even as a raging controversy over the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against an army officer allegedly involved in Shopian firing incident has not completely died down[1], news reports of a second FIR against the army personnel, this time involved in firing on stone pelting brigade in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district created a flutter in the corridors of power on Monday.
He further said that the condition of the injured youth Arif Ahmad Lone son of Abdul Rashid Lone is stated to be stable. Meanwhile, police sources revealed that they have filed a case against the stone-pelters for the violence.
As the news spread like wildfire on various social media platforms and links of news reports were flashed across chat rooms the state police had to swing into action to contain the malicious propaganda unleashed against the Indian army.
Following the latest fiasco over the registration of an FIR, the professional relationship between senior officers of the army and the state police has come under the scanner. It was widely believed that the state police officers had succumbed under pressure and instead of registering a generic FIR they were pressurised to register an FIR against the Army officer.
Lessons learnt by the state police
This time the police had exercised caution and instead of filing an FIR against the Army unit or any other individual an open FIR was lodged in connection with the incident of stone pelting.
A 20-year-old youth who was identified as Arif Ahmad Lone received injuries on his face and was rushed to a nearby hospital from where he was referred to SMHS hospital and later to SKIMS. The doctors said that the condition of injured civilian is now stable.
Eyewitness accounts claimed the local residents had taken out a protest march against the thrashing of civilians and ransacking of houses during a search operation at Hawoora village in Kulgam.
Angry protestors pelted stones on the army patrol after which the soldiers opened fire.
Kulgam police clarifies FIR not against Army
As the campaign against the Indian army reached a crescendo, Kulgam police clarified that police has not registered any FIR against army’s 10 Garhwal unit for firing upon a civilian in Hawoora area of district Kulgam.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kulgam Shridhar Patil said that FIR was registered with regard to the incident and further investigations were taken up.
“Some sections of media have reported that police have filed the FIR against the army which is baseless,” he said.
He further said that the condition of the injured youth Arif Ahmad Lone son of Abdul Rashid Lone is stated to be stable. Meanwhile, police sources revealed that they have filed a case against the stone-pelters for the violence.
“A case under FIR No. 35/2018 under sections 147, 148, 149, 336,341 and 307 was registered against the youth involved in the violence”, they said.
Swamy submits a Calling Attention Motion
In a move to seek clarification from the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the filing against army personnel in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has submitted a Calling Attention Motion in Rajya Sabha[2].
References:
[1] The intriguing silence of Nirmala Sitharaman on J&K Police to register FIR against Indian Army – Feb 1, 2018, PGurus.com
[2] FIR AGAINST ARMY MAN IN J&K: SWAMY SUBMITS CALLING ATTENTION MOTION IN RAJYA SABHA – Feb 5, 2018, Pioneer
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