E-Paper
J-K simmers over civilian killings, FIR against army
Taking a serious note of theMarkundal firing incident in which two persons were killed, Jammu and Kashmir government today registered an FIR in Sumbal police station against those responsible for the killing of civilians.
There were violent protests in Bandipora district of the Kashmir valley on Sunday over the death of two persons who allegedly died in firing by the army.
The army has ordered a probe “to punish the guilty”.
The deaths occurred in the early hours of the morning when, according to locals, the army had cordoned off Markundal village, 40 km northeast of Srinagar.
Irfan Ahmad Ganai, a Class 12 student, was first beaten up. “He (Ganai) was hit with a baton. Then the army men pumped bullets into his body,” alleged Ganai’s father.
After local villagers started protesting between 6 and 7 am, army men again opened fire to disperse the protestors, killing Irshad Ahmad Dar, 28.
The killings triggered further protests, in which five policemen were injured and an ambulance was damaged. The authorities had to stop the movement of the Amarnath pilgrims on the Bandipora-Sonamarg road.
“An FIR (for murder) has been lodged. No inquiry is required since the army opened fire,” said Bandipora deputy commissioner Muhammad Yousuf Zargar.
