Although two simultaneous inquiries have been announced by the authorities, the death of a 21-year-old youth in police firing on the outskirts of Jammu city has triggered a major political controversy in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Since the Jammu and Kashmir Police is directly under the administrative control of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, leaders of the ruling National Conference have vociferously raised the issue to target the LG administration.
Parvez Ahmad (21), a Gujjar youth from the Nikki Tawi area on the outskirts of Jammu, was killed in crossfire when a team from the Special Branch of the J&K Police was reportedly chasing drug peddlers in the Satwari area on Thursday.
His death has sparked protests from the Gujjar community, with family members accusing the police of murdering an "innocent" man in a "staged" encounter.
After Chief Minister Omar Abdullah strongly condemned the killing, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Sunday described the incident as a "broad daylight murder" by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Accompanied by senior National Conference leaders, Choudhary visited Parvez Ahmad's family on Sunday morning to offer condolences. He termed the incident a "cold-blooded murder" allegedly carried out by Special Branch personnel in plain clothes.
"As the police are under the administrative control of the Lieutenant Governor, we demand an impartial probe and strict action against the erring personnel," Choudhary told reporters after meeting the bereaved family.
I along with my colleague @sayedmajidshah1 GS Youth and colleagues from @YouthJKPDP visited the home of Mohammad Parvez who was just 18, full of dreams, now gone to an extrajudicial killing. One bullet shattered a family’s entire world. When those meant to uphold the law show no… pic.twitter.com/ktGR2hEaPO
— Aditya Gupta (@AdityaVgupta) July 25, 2025
He urged senior police officials to fulfil the commitments made to the family, including compensation of ₹35 lakh and a government job, and demanded the registration of a murder case against the officers involved.
Police Version: Youth Killed in Crossfire
The Jammu and Kashmir Police stated that a small police team came under fire from drug peddlers, and when they returned fire, "one unknown person got injured" and later succumbed to his injuries.
The killing of Mohd Parvez of Niki Tawi in Jammu is highly unfortunate & deeply regrettable. Use of force by the police has to be calibrated & cannot be indiscriminate. J&K has paid a heavy price in the past because of incidents such as these. This incident should be investigated…
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) July 25, 2025
On Friday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah termed the incident "highly unfortunate and deeply regrettable."
"The use of force by the police must be calibrated and cannot be indiscriminate," Omar wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "J&K has paid a heavy price in the past because of such incidents… This case must be investigated transparently and in a time-bound manner. I send my condolences to the family of Mohd Parvez. May Allah grant him Jannat."
Former Chief Minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti also took to X, saying:
"Mohammad Parvez, a tribal youth, was killed by the police… He's now being labelled a drug dealer, but even if that were true, we still live in a democracy where justice is delivered through rule of law — not through khap panchayats or kangaroo courts."
"I sincerely hope the DGP takes cognisance of this shocking incident by ordering a time-bound, impartial probe. We must not tolerate or condone a culture of extrajudicial encounters — that's exactly what alienates people," she added.
National Conference MP from Anantnag–Rajouri constituency, Mian Altaf Ahmed, also expressed grief and anger over Parvez's death.
"I strongly condemn the killing of youth Mohd Parvez, a resident of Nikki Tawi, in police firing in Jammu. This is a broad daylight murder. A fast-track investigation should be initiated, and strict action must be taken against the officials involved. My solidarity and sympathy lie with the victim's family," he said.
Inquiry Ordered; Two Cops Suspended
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the killing of the Gujjar youth in Jammu.
The District Magistrate, Jammu, has directed a magisterial inquiry into the incident that occurred on July 24, 2025, at Surya Chak, Phallian Mandal.
"Taking serious note of the incident, as reported by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu, the District Magistrate has initiated a magisterial inquiry to ensure a fair and impartial examination of the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident," reads the official statement.
The inquiry will be conducted by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Jammu South, who has been instructed to submit a detailed report within two weeks of the order's issuance.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have suspended two officials from the district's Special Branch. Additionally, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) has been constituted to investigate the allegations levelled by the family of the deceased.
