Judicial probe into Sopore killings

Under pressure over the killing of two people in Sopore by the CRPF, the Jammu & Kashmir government Saturday ordered a judicial probe. Retired Justice Syed Bashir-ud-din, the chairperson of the State Human Rights Commission has been asked to report into the matter to determine the people responsible for the deaths and investigate if excessive force was used. He has been asked to submit the report within a month. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah to rein in security forces.“If chief minister is feeling helpless to protect the people, he has no moral authority to govern,” said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the moderate Hurriyat Conference.Even the PDP has raised questions over the leadership of Omar Abdullah. Under fire, Omar Abdullah held a meeting of a group of ministers and senior civil and police officers and stressed on the need to strictly follow the Standard Operating Procedures laid down to deal with any situation.Even as the CM promised action, for the second day on Saturday, protests and stone pelting incidents continued in different areas of north Kashmir.