The latest killings in CRPF actions here have angered chief minister Omar Abdullah who summoned top security officials to his official residence here on Sunday and pulled them up for disregarding his “show restraint” doctrine while dealing with law and order situations. “Will you open fire and kill a person who throws a stone at you. Is that just?” he asked them.
The CRPF personnel had last week “mercilessly” beaten up a 24-year-old Srinagar youth Muhammad Rafiq Bangroo during protests over the killing of a teenager student Tufail Ahmed Mattoo in police firing earlier. As the bloody incident set off turbulence across the city afresh and supplemented to the anger of the residents, the chief minister summoned senior security officials to his residence to reprimand them. He immediately removed the city police chief SSP Javed Riyaz Bedar and replaced him with Syed Ashique Bukhari, the SSP intelligence. Several other police officials, including SP Srinagar East Vidhi Kumar Birdi, were also removed from their present postings. He also asked Kashmir’s divisional commissioner Ms Naseema Lankar to hold inquiry into Sunday’s incidents and report back to him within one week with her findings.
Later during the day, several ruling National Conference MLAs representing various Srinagar constituencies met the chief minister to convey their displeasure over the incidents and uneasiness over their imminent political fallout. While speaking to them, Mr Abdullah reiterated that his government is committed to protecting lives and honour of the people. He expressed profound sorrow and grief at the loss of human lives and said that death of any innocent civilian is always a matter of concern and pain for any responsible government. “We are conscious of it and shall take all appropriate steps to ensure no human rights violation occurs”, he said. He assured them that he has directed the security forces to strictly follow the “Standard Operating Procedure” to ensure no innocent lives are lost.