Shopian killings: J&K police to seek forensic lab's help

Jammu and Kashmir police will send the SIM card and details of the phone of the suspected militant killed by CRPF in Shopian last week to Forensic Science Laboratory Chandigarh to ascertain his identity in view of doubts raised by certain quarters.

"The SIM card and SKYPE details of the slain youth (suspected to be militant) will be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory, Chandigarh for technical evaluation," Superintendent of Police, Shopian, Mumtaz Khan said during a review meeting at Shopian, 52 kms from here. The meeting was convened by minister for Medical Education Taj Mohiuddin, who visited the south Kashmir district to take stock of the law and order situation, an official spokesman said.

Five persons have been killed in Shopian since last week. While four were killed in CRPF firing on September 7, another youth was killed in CRPF firing on protestors outside Gagran camp of the force on September 11.

After the first firing incident, police said three slain youths did not have any militant links but claimed that the fourth youth was believed to be a Pakistani militant, Abdullah Haroon. The locals, however, alleged that all the four youths were innocent civilians and killed in unprovoked firing. Civil society activists and separatists have claimed that the man claimed to be militant was actually a non-Kashmiri labourer.

The state government has ordered a magisterial probe into the killings and directed the District Magistrate to submit his report within one month. The Government also directed for replacing the CRPF personnel at Gagran with Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police. 

Mohiuddinn appealed people to maintain calm and help the government in restoring order in the district. "I appeal people to maintain calm and help government in restoring order in the district. Government is conscious and concerned about the problems, demands and needs of people," the minister said.

The minister reviewed the execution of the cabinet decision regarding shifting of the CRPF camp from Gagran village and directed the district administration to implement the decision within no time, an official spokesman said here.

The minister directed the district administration to work out curfew relaxation mechanism and ensure that people do not suffer any shortage of essential commodities, he said. Mohiuddin asked the district administration to reach out to people and ensure that their difficulties due to curfew are minimised, the spokesman said.

Deputy Commissioner Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Superintendent of Police and other officers briefed the minister about the incidents, the pace of inquiry and the situation obtaining in the district, he said.