Waseem Ramzan
Lower House on Tuesday witnessed pandemonium over the killing of Bemina youth by CRPF in Kud as the Opposition, joined by ruling PDP legislator, sought clarity from the government over the incident.
As soon as the Question Hour, PDP MLA Batamaloo, Noor Mohammad Sheikh, raised the issue of the killing, saying that protest erupted Bemina over the killing.
“People want to know about the killing of youth, Tanveer Sultan in Kud. His family is saying that he had gone to Jammu for treatment. I demand the government to inform the House about the circumstance in which he was killed,” he said.
Interrupting him, Opposition National Conference legislator from Khanyar, Ali Mohammad Sagar said that people are apprehending that Tanveer was killed in a fake encounter.
“I visited Bemina area in the morning and saw that people were protesting there. The locals have the apprehensions that it was a fake encounter. The government should come clear over it,” Sagar said.
He was confronted by the BJP legislator Ravinder Raina who expressed concern over the growing militant attacks in the state.
“Don’t politicize the issue,” he said. Raina was supported by other BJP legislators, who stood up from the Treasury Benches and opposed to Sagar’ statement.
Independent legislator from Langate, Er Abdul Rashid said that the “government has given security forces liberty to kill everyone”. “Resolve Kashmir issue and then every issue will be solved,” he said.
Responding to the Opposition, Minister for Agriculture Production, Ghulam Nabi Lone, said that PDP MLA concerned did not mention ‘fake encounter’ in his question. Lone told Sagar to refrain from making such assumptions over the killing.
Lone informed the House that the slain youth was a militant and was killed in a gun fight. “An AK-47 and a pistol were recovered from him,” Lone added.
“The CRPF and JKP started searching vehicles at Karnal Nallah Kud and an SRTC bus bearing registration number JK02 Y 0444 was stopped. All the passengers were asked to alight from the bus for through checking upon which a person who was also travelling in the State bus started firing at the CRPF/Police personnel,” the minister said.
The minister said that after the person fired upon CRPF/JKP cops, the forces personnel retaliated which resulted in his death,” the minister said.
He identified the deceased as Tanveer Sultan, son of Sheikh Mohammad Sultan.
“An AK 47 rifle, pistol, and other ammunition were recovered from the slain militant,” he said.
He said that an FIR number 53/206 stands registered in Police station Kud and investigations have been taken up under “Unlawful activities” act.
The minister said that one woman Mamta Devi of Jammu died in the firing. Besides two persons including a woman namely, Ruby, was injured in the gun fight. Later the police and CRPF cordoned the area and retaliated which resulted in the killing of the militant,” the minister said. (KNS)
