PDP vs BJP over deaths in Army Officer's firing in Shopian

The PDP-BJP coalition government in J&K showed cracks when Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti snubbed her alliance partner and vowed to take the investigation into Saturday's killing of two youths in the Army's firing to its logical conclusion.

"The probe into the killing in South Kashmir's Shopian would be taken to its logical conclusion", said Mufti, in the state's Legislative Assembly.

Her statement follows a demand by the BJP MLA from Ram Nagar, RS Pathania, that the government should withdraw the FIR against the Army personnel.

"An FIR has been registered in haste. Instead, a fresh FIR should be registered without naming anyone. A probe should be conducted into the attack on the Army", he said.

The FIR was filed under Section 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 336 (endangering life) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) against troops of the 10 Garhwal unit, led by Major Aditya. The RPC is a criminal code applicable in Jammu and Kashmir as the Indian Penal Code (IPC) does not apply in the restive state.

Two youths, Javiad Ahmad Bhat and Suhail Javaid Lone, were killed when troops fired at a stone-pelting mob on Saturday. Seven Army men, including a Junior Commissioned Officer, were injured in the stone-pelting on their convoy.

Earlier on Sunday, BJP MLA from Nowshera, Ravinder Raina, defended the Army's action, saying troops fired in self defence because 250 stone pelters attacked the convoy, injured jawans and tried to snatch their weapons.

"Whatever the Army had done is in the ambit of law and in self defence", he said.

The Chief Minister, however, told the House that such killings only impair and slow down the political process in the state.

"Immediately after the incident took place, an FIR was lodged against the guilty and Shopian's Deputy Commissioner was ordered to conduct a magisterial probe and submit a report within 15 days", she said

Mehbooba had also called up Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who, according to her, shared her anguish and assured appropriate measures. "The Army as an institution has done a great job but the grace of an institution only enhances once the black sheep within are identified and weeded out", she said.

The Chief Minister said that she has been stressing upon all security agencies during Unified Headquarters meetings to exercise maximum restraint and ensure that no collateral damage takes place during operations.

"Incidents like Shopian remind us that we cannot afford confrontation at any level and there is an urgent need to engage in meaningful dialogue at all levels. There is no alternative to dialogue within the state and between India and Pakistan because it is the people of Jammu and Kashmir who are facing the brunt of this acrimony and paying in terms of human and material losses", she said.

Earlier in the day, the killings rocked the House with CPI-M leader MY Tarigami moving an adjournment motion to discuss the issue. National Conference MLA from Khanyar, Ali Mohommad Sagar, demanded the arrest of the Army men named in the FIR.

"Such incidents lead to grave consequences as these are contributing to shrinking political space for mainstream political parties in the Valley. There should be maximum restraint while dealing with such incidents", Sagar said.

The Leader of Opposition and former chief minister, Omar Abdullah, called for a permanent solution to the issue. He said the Central government is very strong and has the capability to resolve the issues confronting the state.

"The House should rise above party politics, speak in one voice and introspect why such tragic incidents are taking place frequently. Now that an FIR has been lodged, the police should be allowed to do their job as names of accused have been mentioned in the FIR", he said.