Budgam: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have registered an FIR against the Army’s 53 Rashtriya Rifles unit over the death of a youth in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, hours after the two security forces released separate accounts of the incident.
“FIR vide No 74/2017 under section 307 has been lodged at police station Beerwah against 53 RR,” a senior police officer told CNN-News18.
While the police said the Army opened fire in Beerwah after mistaking the sound of a firecracker for a grenade blast, the Army said some stone-pelters had tried to snatch weapons from the patrol party.
Tanveer Ahmed was killed, while another youth named Mohammed Ibrahim was injured and hospitalised after the incident in Beerwah. People accompanied the latter to hospital claimed that Army personnel were thrashing vendors and pedestrians and when they intervened, the security men started firing.
In a press statement, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said, “As per initial information received today, a Foot Patrol of army was returning to its camp and near Beerwah some miscreants pelted stones on them. Someone among these miscreants also hurled a fire cracker towards the army men. Because of bang the army men thought a grenade was hurled and they retaliated. Two persons identified as Tanveer Ahmed Pala and Mohammed Ibrahim Wani were injured. Among them Tanveer succumbed to his injuries while Ibrahim is stable.”
A press statement put out by the Army said the stone-pelters had tried to “snatch” weapons from the personnel.
“An Army patrol was subjected to heavy stone pelting by a mob in Kondur village near Beerwah town at 13:15 hours today. In no time the numbers swelled and the intensity of stone-pelting increased. Some stone-pleters tried to close in with the patrol and snatch weapons from the soldiers. Two persons were reportedly injured when troops opened fire. One of the injured, however, later succumbed to his injuries,” Srinagar-based Defence spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia said in the press release.
The Mehbooba Mufti government has sanctioned an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for Tanveer’s family.
Deputy commissioner of Budgam sanctioned an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the victim’s family, however, the family has not accepted it yet.
Meanwhile, a complete shutdown was being observed in Beerwah town and adjoining areas on Saturday to protest the youth’s death. Shops and other business establishments were closed in Beerwah town, Khag and Aripanthan areas to mourn Tanveer’s death.
The government had on Friday snapped internet in the district.
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