SRINAGAR: The central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) denied that its men opened fire in the old citys Nawa Kadal area where a boy Bashir Ahmad was dropped dead when the security men fired at a procession of stone pelters.
The Public Relations Officer of CRPF Kishore Prasad said that the force didnt open fire. Our men didnt open fire. There were other forces as well, he said.
On being asked a CRPF man namely Sandip Kumar was injured in NawaKadal, Prasad said: He was not injured at NawaKadal but was injured at Soura. He has been hit by stone in his eye and sustained grave injuries, adding he is part of 117 Battalion. He said that the 73 and 161 Battalions of CRPF were deployed in Nawakadal on Wednesday.
The investigation in the incident will reveal what had actually happened and who had fired, he said
Earlier, in a statement issued here, a police spokesman said: in the evening after the polling was over a party of security forces came under severe attack by some miscreants in Nawakadal area jurisdiction of police station Safakadal Srinagar. The miscreants snatched the weapon of a security force personnel. In the ensuing scuffle two persons identified as Bashir Ahmed Bhat son of Ghulam Hassan Bhat resident of Gratbal Nawakadal and Nazir Ahmed Kaloo resident of Nawakadal got injured. The spokesman added that Bashir succumbed to his injuries.
Abdullahs upset as CM promises inquiry
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference Party President Farooq Abdullah have expressed profound grief and sorrow over an incident of firing in Nawa Kadal that has resulted in the loss of a life. Expressing his solidarity with the bereaved family, Omar Abdullah has said that the circumstances leading to this tragic loss of life would be thoroughly probed.
The Chief Minister has extended his heartfelt condolences with the family of the deceased and said that such incidents are a matter of personal pain and grief for him and he will ensure that the matter is probed in a thorough and transparent manner.
Condemning the incident, Farooq has asked the State Government to conduct a transparent and time-bound probe to ascertain the truth. Farooq Abdullah has said that he stands with the family in this moment of inconsolable sorrow and loss.
