Truck driver dies in Kashmir as army ‘fires to deflate tyres’
A civilian was killed by army fire after a chase in Baramulla, Jammu & Kashmir, sparking accusations of excessive force and calls for an impartial probe.
A civilian was killed in army firing after he allegedly jumped a check post in his truck and triggered a 23km chase in Baramulla district of Jammu & Kashmir on Thursday, officials aware of the matter said, prompting the man’s family and the region’s parties to accuse the personnel of using excessive force.
Stressing that such incidents could alienate the people of the restive region, chief minister Omar Abdullah said he has asked the Centre for an impartial probe into the killing.
According to officials, security forces set up a checkpoint on the Kupwara-Sopore highwayin the north Kashmir district on Wednesday following inputs about the movement of terrorists in the area. At around 12.30am, a truck approached the checkpoint but sped away, leading to a high-speed chase, they added.
“On 05 Feb 2025, based on a specific intelligence input about the movement of terrorists, a Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) was established by Security Forces. One speeding, suspicious civil truck was spotted. When challenged, the truck didn’t stop despite repeated warnings instead accelerated further while crossing the check post,” the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps posted on X.
It added: “Alert troops pursued the vehicle for over 23 km. Shots were fired aiming on the tires to deflate which forced the vehicle to halt at Sangrama Chowk. Consequent to detailed search, the injured driver was immediately evacuated to GMC [Government Medical College] Baramulla by Security Forces where he was declared dead.”
To be sure, the exact spot where the checkpoint was set was not immediately known. It was also not immediately known how many army vehicles were part of the chase or if there were other checkposts on the route.
The deceased was identified as 25-year-old Waseem Ahmad, a resident of Sopore district. Medical superintendent of GMC Baramulla, Dr Pervaz Masoodi, said Ahmad was already dead when he was brought to the hospital at around 1am. “The body had only one bullet injury. The bullet entered through the left side of his torso and exited through the right arm. A postmortem exam was performed and the body was handed over to the relatives,” he said. Officials aware of the matter said that he likely died due to excessive blood loss.
Ahmad’s family said he was a fruit truck driver and was taking the vehicle, which officials said was laden with apples, to Kolkata. They said the army killed him “without any reason”.
“I am suffering from various ailments, and my son told me that he will take me to a doctor once he returns from Kolkata…He was killed without any reason,” Ahmad’s mother Nissara Begum said.
He his survived by his parents, two brothers and a sister.
His relatives also raised doubt over the force’s version of events. “He [Ahmad] was never involved in any criminal activity. He has a clean record even at the local police station. We want to know why he was killed when he was trying to earn a livelihood for his family,” Ahmad’s cousin, Mohammad Ashraf, said.
Ahmad’s death rekindled the debate on Armed Forces Special Powers Act (Afspa), which grants special powers to the forces, allowing them to “fire upon or otherwise use force,even to the causing of death” in order to maintain public order in “disturbed areas” during an operation. No legal proceeding can be initiated against the officers, who are part of such operations, without a sanction from the central government. It remains a contentious issue in J&K and several other regions, with activists saying that it gives personnel impunity to carry out excesses and forces saying that it helps them maintain order in restive areas.
J&K Police said they have registered a case and started an investigation. “The truck has been moved to the nearest police station for thorough search...A thorough investigation is underway, and all updates will be communicated through official channels. Any attempt to disrupt public order or spread false information will be dealt with strictly,” it said in a statement.
The Baramulla incident comes nearly 14 months after three men were allegedly tortured to death by army personnel at a 48 Rashtriya Rifles unit camp in Poonch, triggering a massive controversy after which defence minister Rajnath Singh assured the families of the deceased of justice. On Tuesday, a man died in the Kathua district of Jammu hours after he was picked up by police for questioning over his suspected militant links. Police have said that the 23-year-old died by suicide after his association with terrorists was exposed but activists have maintained that he died because of the injuries suffered in police custody. The district administration and the J&K Police have ordered separate probes into the incident.
CM Abdullah said that such incidents hindered long-term peace in the region.
“Both these incidents are highly unfortunate and should not have happened. J&K will never be completely normalised and free of terror without the cooperation of & partnership with the local population. Incidents like these risk alienating the very people whom we need to carry with us on the road to complete normalcy. I have taken up these incidents with the Union Government & insisted that both incidents are inquired into in a time-bound, transparent manner. The government in J&K will also order its own inquiries,” he wrote on X.
CPI(M) general secretary Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, which is part of the National Conference-led J&K government, said personnel should be held accountable if found guilty.
“Strongly condemn the killing of a truck driver in Army firing... The unfortunate incident could have been easily prevented with a more cautious approach instead of a trigger-happy response. In another shocking incident, a 25-year-old man died after allegedly being subjected to brutal torture by the police. Both incidents must be thoroughly investigated,” he said in a statement.
Echoing similar views, PDP leader and party chief Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter, Iltija Mufti, said: “Shocking that after a civilian killing in Kathua, another civilian from Sopore was shot dead by the Army…Are Kashmiri lives so cheap? How long will you justify this unbridled impunity by pointing everyone with the needle of suspicion?”
Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari demanded a thorough probe into Ahmad’s death. “Initial reports suggest that he was driving his truck carrying apple boxes when he failed to comply with a signal from the security forces, who wanted him to stop at the Naka. This incident requires a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances under which this unfortunate event occurred,” he said in a statement.
