Expressing its concern, a Srinagar-based rights groups on Monday termed the Supreme Court relief to Major Aditya Kumar, facing an FIR in the Shopian firing, as “irregular and against the established norms of criminal procedure”.
“Courts rarely interfere in ongoing investigations. The FIR is a recording of information of a cognisable offence. The police are duty-bound to lodge an FIR and begin investigations. ‘Self-defence’ and other such justifications cannot be considered at the stage of registration of FIR and certainly cannot be a basis to quash the FIR,” said the spokesperson of J&K Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), which is pursing cases of rights abuses and missing persons in the Valley.
The JKCCS claimed the police rarely file FIRs against the armed forces. “The Supreme Court through its past judgment restricted the powers of the lower judiciary, even the powers of the police are curtailed,” he said.
Jehad council reacts
A spokesman of the United Jihad Council (UJC), a conglomerate of militant outfits active in J&K, also described the court direction as “halting the action against Army Major”.
“The SC directions over the Shopian killings are unjustified, Halting the investigations indicate the judiciary was also taking sides,” alleged UJC chief Syed Salah-ud-din.
Three civilians were killed in Army firing in Shopian's Ganawpora area on January 27. The Army said it fired in self-defence when the stone-throwing protesters attacked them.
