Jammu and Kashmir Police have filed an FIR against a battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF) over the murder of a 22-year-old man, who was shot dead in Batamaloo on Saturday.
The deceased, Sajjad Hussain Sheikh, who hailed from Baramulla district, ran a barbecue kiosk at Batamaloo. Eyewitnesses say that BSF personnel had opened fire on facing stone-pelting. Sajjad was shot in the forehead and shifted to SMHS Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
"We have registered a FIR under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code at Batamaloo police station against the 38 Battalion of BSF," a senior police officer said.
"The case has been registered under FIR number 53/2017 and investigations have been taken up at fast-track basis," the officer added.
The BSF have also submitted a detailed report on the incident. The report states that BSF personnel opened fire to prevent riffle snatching.
"An internal inquiry into the allegations of the firing, which led to death of Sajjad has prima facie revealed that our men opened fired in Batamaloo leading to an unfortunate death of the youth. The intention of our jawans was not to kill anyone but (they) fired in a bid to prevent snatching of a rifle as attempted by the youth," a local news agency quoted a BSF spokesman as saying.
Eyewitnesses will be called on for their statements so a fair investigation, police sources told the Greater Kashmir.
J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti called the killing "unfortunate" and told the forces to exercise restraint. It took place on the same day when there were clashes between security forces and civilians in Pulwama.
Indian Army in J&K have also been named in an FIR for tying a civilian on a jeep as human shield.
