J&K govt to expedite inquiry into firing incident

Jammu and Kashmir Government today said it will expedite inquiry into the firing incident that led to the killing of three persons in Mendhar area of Poonch district last month during protests against alleged desecration of the holy Quran in the United States.

Jammu and Kashmir Government today said it will expedite inquiry into the firing incident that led to the killing of three persons in Mendhar area of Poonch district last month during protests against alleged desecration of the holy Quran in the United States.

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Law Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar assured the Legislative Council that Principal Secretary Home B R Sharma will be asked to expedite inquiry into the firing incident.

Replying to a calling attention notice by Mohammad Rashid Qureshi, Sagar said an appeal was made to Beopar Mandal Mendhar on September 15 to shut down business establishments in protest against the alleged desecration incident.

He said a procession was taken out which turned violent after police tried to stop it at two places. Sensing the gravity of the situation, SDPO Mendhar Vivek Gupta and other policemen used minimum force to stop the procession but the protesters turned violent and started hurling stones at police personnel, who retaliated using tear gas shells, he said.

Sagar said Gupta was injured in the stone pelting after which his PSOs resorted to firing to save the officer and the public property, resulting in injuries to 14 persons, of whom three persons succumbed. The protesters later resorted to arson setting ablaze government properties and records, the minister said.

"A case FIR has been registered against SDPO Mendhar, Constables Abdul Hameed, Rakesh Kumar, Mohammad Saif and SPO Mohammad Assi," he said adding Divisional Commissioner, Jammu has been appointed as Inquiry Officer to enquire into circumstances leading to the firing incident. The inquiry report is awaited, Sagar said. The Government has sanctioned ex-gratia relief of Rs five lakh each to the next of kin of the three deceased.