Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 14: Police has registered a case in the shooting of a protester by security forces and are investigating the tying of a man to an Army vehicle while they arrested 5 persons for heckling Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel during by-poll in Srinagar Parliamentary constituency that voted on April 9.
Three videos went viral on social media in which some youth are heckling CRPF men during polling day at Kralpora in Budgam district, second video showed ITBP man shooting dead a young boy who was pelting stones on them at Ratsuna in Beerwa area of Budgam district and the third video in which Army has tied a youth to their vehicle in Chel Brass in Sitharan area of Khan Sahib in district Budgam.
Police have registered an FIR against the mobsters who heckled and beat the CRPF men who were on poll duty at Kralpora in district Budgam and have identified 11 youths in this connection. Five youths have been arrested, in which three are involved while the role of two youth is being investigated.
The second video showed a group of youth pelting stones at ITBP men outside a polling station in village Ratsuna in Budgam district on April 9. The video showed a group of around 12 boys and equal number of ITPB men clashing with each other and it appeared the video was shot by poll staff.
As per the video, the intensity of the clashes was low and ITBP men, who were hiding behind a compound wall, were also pelting stones at the youth. The video then showed an ITBP man firing several live ammunition rounds at a stone pelter from point blank range and one of the bullets hits him in the head. Soon, the boy can be seen being evacuated.
The third video is about a man being tied to an Army jeep in Chel Brass in Sitharan area of Khan Sahib in district Budgam. The man, who was tied to the Army jeep has been identified as Farooq Dar and sources said that the Army unit involved was 53 Rashtriya Rifles.
The man tied to the Army jeep, allegedly has been used a human shield against stone-pelting. During investigation, Dar has said he was out to cast his vote and later was on his way to visit his sister in nearby village. Dar has told investigators that after exercising his right to vote, he was proceeding towards his sister’s village when he was tied by Army personnel.
Defence spokesman said that Army is verifying the contents of the video and investigating the incident. “Reference video showing a young man tied to an Army jeep. The contents of the video are being verified and investigated,” Colonel Rajesh Kalia said here.
Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has expressed concern and anguish over the surfacing of few videos reportedly from Budgam and has sought a detailed report from the police in this regard.
Terming the display of acts in the videos as unacceptable, the Chief Minister has asked the police to submit a detailed report about these incidents to her so that necessary action is initiated.
The video has gone viral on social media and created an outrage in the Valley, forcing the authorities and the Army to investigate the matter. The video was also tweeted by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who called for an “urgent inquiry”.
“Here’s the video as well. A warning can be heard saying stone pelters will meet this fate. This requires an urgent inquiry & follow up NOW!! (sic)”, Omar tweeted.
”This young man was TIED to the front of an Army jeep to make sure no stones were thrown at the jeep? This is just so shocking!!!! #Kashmir”, tweeted Omar.
He further wrote: “Let’s see channels going ballistic & having discussions with outraged panelists now. Probably not since “Kashmir is ours” hell with Kashmiris”.
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