KNZ NEWS DESK
Jammu, February 12: In what may be seen as a big snub to the J&K government, the Supreme Court on Monday stayed criminal proceedings against Major Aditya named in the FIR lodged in Shopian firing case of January 27 in which three civilians were killed.
The SC stayed the FIR proceedings against the army officer after hearing the plea of father of Major Aditya who had petitioned that the FIR may be quashed..
The father of army major Aditya Kumar moved the apex court last week, demanding that the FIR registered by the Jammu and Kashmir Police be quashed.
The SC restrained the Jammu and Kashmir government from taking any coercive action against army officials allegedly involved in the incident, issuing notices to the central and state governments in the matter.
Lieutenant colonel Karamveer Singh had said in his petition that his son was just performing his duty and was “wrongly and arbitrarily” named.
Major Kumar, who is with 10 Garhwal Rifles, was named in the FIR filed against his unit after the army firing on protesters left three people dead in Shopian on January 27.
Police have accused the Garhwal unit of murder, attempt to murder and endangering life.
The soldiers opened fire “only to impair and provide a safe escape from a savage and violent mob engaged in terrorist activity”, the plea said.
The army had on January 28 submitted its version of events to police.
It said the soldiers fired on protesters in Ganawpora village in “self-defence” to prevent the lynching of an officer, snatching of weapons by villagers and burning of their vehicles.
The manner in which the lodging of the FIR was portrayed and projected by the political leadership and the administration reflected the hostile atmosphere in the state, he said. He had approached the court to protect the fundamental rights of his son and himself.
The petition also sought guidelines to protect the rights of soldiers and adequate compensation so that no personnel were harassed by criminal proceedings for exercising their duty.
The FIR had kicked up a storm in the state, pitting ruling coalition partners Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against each other.
(J K News Today)
