No request made to home ministry on handing over of BSF commandant: Omar

The Jammu and Kashmir government today said it had not made any request to the Union home ministry to hand over a suspended BSF commandant to the state police for questioning in connection with the killing of a 16-year-old boy in Srinagar recently.

"The state government has not made any request to the ministry of home affairs (MHA)," chief minister Omar Abdullah said dismissing reports that the request was turned down by the MHA.

"The investigation relating to the killing of the boy is on. We are acertaining the circumstances under which the firing took place," said Omar in the presence of Union home minister P Chidambaran.

A BSF constable, allegedly involved in the killing of Zahid Farooq Shah, had already been handed over to the state police for questioning and necessary action.

BSF Commandant RK Birdi, who is alleged to have ordered the constable to shoot at the youngster, had also been suspended.

The killing of the boy at Brain near Nishat on February 5 sparked widespread protests in Kashmir valley.

"There has been a slight discrepancy between what the jawan has told us and what we have been able to ascertain," the chief minister said.

"The moment the discrepancy is done away with, the the investigation agency will decide on the need to question the commandant," he said.

"The law will take its own course in the case," Omar said adding "no obstacle has been put before the investigation agency by anybody from MHA."

"I think MHA has been extremely supportive to us."