E-Paper
Shopian man killed in crossfire, say police; kin demand justice
The family of the Shopian man has dismissed the security forces’ statement that he was killed in crossfire and termed it a “targeted killing”.
A 20-year-old man was killed in crossfiring between terrorists and a CRPF party, in Shopian district of Jammu & Kashmir on Sunday, police said. The deceased’s family, however, dismissed the security forces’ statement and termed it a “targeted killing”.
According to the police, Shahid Aijaz Rather was hit by bullets outside the camp of CRPF’s 178 battalion, at Babapora, Shopian.
“Around 10:30 hrs unidentified terrorists attacked a Naka party of 178 Bn, CRPF at Babapora, Shopian. CRPF retaliated the fire and during crossfiring, one unidentified person got killed. Further details are being ascertained,” the Shopian district police said in a tweet.
Block medical officer of Zainapora, Dr Khalid Abbas said the young man was brought dead to the hospital. “We are conducting his post mortem,” he said.
The man sustained seven bullet injuries, including on the chest, heart and spleen, a medical official added.
Rather’s brother Zubair Ahmad Rather, however, refuted the CRPF statement.
“If he had been hit in cross firing then others with him would also have been hit. He was directly targeted. We want justice. Today it happened with us, tomorrow it will happen with others,” he told the media.
Rather’s cousin and neighbour Adil Ahmad said he worked as a labourer and had gone to Shopian to pick apples. “He had been visiting Shopian for the past two days to pick apples. He was a Class 12 student... We came to know of his killing from social media. Everybody is in shock. His killing is an injustice.”
Rather is survived by parents and four younger siblings, he added. “He was the eldest of his siblings and would do labour work to help his mason father to run the family expenses.”
The killing has triggered condemnations from political leaders.
People’s Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti accused armed forces of showing little restraint. “Another innocent civilian killed allegedly by CRPF in Shopian today. It’s sad that armed forces show little restraint & operate with such impunity. My heartfelt condolences to his family,” she said in a tweet.
Srinagar mayor and youth president of Apni Party, Junaid Mattu said: “Strongly condemn the killing of a civilian, Shahid Aijaz at Zainapora, Shopian. My deepest condolences to his family. Allah (swt) jannat naseeb karey. Ameen”.
National Conference vice president and former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah, while reacting to the killing of the youth, said: “He was shot dead & his bag has no weapons or explosives, he’s carrying fruit & vegetables. This policy of ‘shoot first’ will further alienate people. This is no way to make friends with the people or the youth of Kashmir.”
This is the second such death in Kashmir this month. On October 7, Parvaiz Ahmad Bokad, a tribal, was killed when CRPF opened fire on a vehicle, allegedly charging at a checkpoint at Monghal Bridge in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Police then said that the vehicle without a number plate was signalled to stop by CRPF’s Naka party, however, it instead sped towards the CRPF party, prompting the troops to open fire.
Board’s family had protested his death and said he didn’t deserve to be killed irrespective of whether he jumped a naka (barricade) or not.
The incident comes amid a heightened security environment in Jammu and Kashmir following suspected terrorists killing 11 civilians including non-locals and minorities this month. Home minister Amit Shah has been reviewing the security situation during his first visit to the Union Territory (UT) since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 and splitting of the region into two UTs.
