The recent incident of tear gas shelling against Kashmiri Pandits in J&K's Budgam district drew critcism from across the country. In a swift action, J&K LG Manoj Sinha ordered a probe into the incident while assuring strict action.
"J&K LG orders inquiry on tear gas shelling against protesting Kashmiri Pandits. Strict action to be taken against officials involved in the action," government sources were quoted as saying by ANI.
Teargas, baton-charge against KPs
The members of Kashmiri Pandit community were protesting at Sheikhpora in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district after the brutal killing of Rahul Bhat, 35-year-old Kashmiri Pandit employee in the valley.
Over 400 protesting Pandit employees were marching towards the Srinagar International Airport in protest, demanding justice and safety for KPs in J&K. But then, when the orders were given to disperse the crowd peacefully, and the police restorted to tear gas shelling and baton charge, which resulted in many injuries.
The protesting Pandit employees were from Sheikhpora-Budgam migrant colony. They were shouting slogans seeking the arrest and punishment to the killers of Rahul Bhat, who was killed in the tehsil office Chadoora during duty hours.
It was later revealed through highly-placed sources that the orders were not to lathi-charge the protesting Kashmiri Pandits but to request them to disperse from the area due to a terror threat that was received. Given the topography of the area and huge rush at the Airport road, there were inputs that terrorists may take advantage of the same and may attack the protesters in order to create communal tension.
SHO attached
Shortly after the teargas shelling incident, the government of J&K attached the concerned Station House Officer (SHO) and SIT probe into the terror attack killing Bhat was ordered. The SHO had reportedly misinterpreted the directive & ordered a lathi charge.
However some sources suggest there maybe more senior officers who faltered in communicating the message right down the line.
