Srinagar: Even after a week, Inquiry Officer probing the killing of a civilian in Natnusa Kupwara has not obtained FIR copy from police while the officer is hopeful that he will get the same within a day or two from police station Kupwara.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Hafizullah Shah, the Inquiry Officer appointed by the government to probe the killing of a class 11th student Arif Hussain Dar of Avora Kupwara who was killed after 47 Rashtriya Rifles of Indian Army opened fire on unarmed protesters in Natnusa Kupwara on 15 April told Srinagar based news agency CNS that he is supposed to submit his probe report on 30th April. He, however, has not obtained the FIR copy from the police yet.
Shah added that he visited the deceaseds house and recorded the statements of family members and locals as well. I will seek details of the incident from police and army as well. So far I have recorded the statements of locals and family members and hopefully if the Army and police will submit the details, the probe will be completed in time, he said.
Pertinently, the state government ordered probe after every civilian killing, but not a single probe was made public.
Kin describes probe in Shaistas killing as farce
The family of Shaista Hamid of Lelhar hamlet of South Kashmirs Pulwama district here, who died in Army firing in February this year, on Saturday alleged that neither police registered an FIR against the Army nor the guilty army personnel appeared before the Inquiry Committee.
The family said that the probe into the killing was an eye-wash aimed at to cool down the tempers of the people.
On 14 February this year a militant Adil Ahmad of Banderpora, Pulwama was killed in an encounter at Kharpora area of Kakapora. During the post encounter protest, two students including a girl were killed and 15 other civilians injured when police and army allegedly used bullets and tear gas shells on them.
They were identified as Danish Farooq Mir son of Farooq Ahmad, resident of Ratnipora Pulwama and Shaishta Hameed daughter of Abdul Hameed, resident of Lelhara, Kakapora.
Shortly after these killings government had appointed Additional District Magistrate Pulwama Shahbaz Mirza as Inquiry Officer and he was directed to probe the civilian killings and submit his report within a period of one-month.
Abdul Hameed, the father of the slain girl told a Srinagar based news agency that eight local witnesses who deposed before the Inquiry Committee clearly held Army responsible for the death of Shaista Hamid. To our utter surprise police has neither lodged any FIR against the Army nor have they deposed before the Inquiry Officer, he said and added that this probe is a farce aimed at to save the skin of the guilty.
Abdul Hameed said that he fails to understand how Inquiry Officer submitted his report to authorities without recording the statements of Army personnel.
Despite repeated attempts, Inquiry Officer could not be contacted for the comments.
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