J-K government under pressure wants to push Shopian killings probe into cold storage: Omar Abdullah

SRINAGAR:  After the Supreme Court stayed FIR against army into the killing of three civilians by army men in south Kashmir Shopian district on January 27 this year, former Chief Minister and opposition National Conference Working president Omar Abdullah on Thursday said Jammu and Kashmir government under pressure wants to push the probe of the incident into cold storage.

“I think the state government has come under pressure and wants to push the probe into Shopian killings into cold storage,” Omar told reporters in Anantnag in south Kashmir.

He was referring to the J&K government’s statement in Supreme Court in which it had stated that FIR into Shopian killings does not mention Major Aditya Kumar, who was leading the troops when the incident took place on January 27.

Three civilians were killed in army firing in Ganowpora village of Shopian on January 27 and army had claimed that the soldiers fired in self defence after their vehicles came under stone pelting and an attempt was made to lynch a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO).

Major Aditya’s father, also a serving army officer, moved the Supreme Court to get the FIR quashed. The apex court has stayed further proceedings on FIR.

Omar said everybody has a copy of FIR of the Shopian killings. “The FIR is available on social media and everybody knows what has been written in it.”

He said he was surprised to see the stand taken by government on the case in the SC. 

“CM Mehbooba had twice made a commitment in State Assembly that FIR against army will be taken its logical conclusion. But her government has talked different thing in SC,” Omar said.

When asked what is his party’s stand on the issue, the former CM said, “We want this incident to be properly investigated as there is a contradiction in the statement given by army and government”.

“People want that facts about the incident should be made public. We want that if a mistake has been committed, then people should be held accountable for it,” he said.

Meanwhile, police has registered an attempt to murder case into the Sunday evening’s shootout at Pahnoo, Shopian, in which two militants and four civilians were killed.

A police official said that the FIR bearing No 54 under Section 307 of Ranbir Penal Code and sections 7/27 of the Arms Act has been registered after army filed complaint that militants travelling in two vehicles fired on their armoured vehicle in Pahnoo, Shopian on Sunday night and in the retaliatory firing six persons including two militants and four civilians, suspected to be Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of militants were killed.

Army has said there is a very thin line between a civilian and OGW.

A police official said they are investigating whether the civilians killed in the incident were wilfully travelling in the vehicles or forced into it.

Police has asked witnesses of the incident to come up with their statements to help in the probe.