At least five persons were killed and several others injured when BSF and local police personnel opened fire on irate residents protesting against the alleged desecration of Islam’s holy scriptures by members of a paramilitary force in a remote village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district early on Thursday. Unofficial reports put the death toll at eight.
Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde has ordered a probe into the firing incidents, which have sparked off widespread protests by surging crowds in the hilly region and elsewhere and the authorities have, as a precautionary measure, closed the Jammu-Srinagar highway till further orders. Strict security restrictions are being enforced by police and CRPF reinforcements in the highway towns of Ramban and Banihal and neighbouring areas whereas curfew has been clamped in some parts of the district. Srinagar is tense and separatists have called for shutdowns and protests for three days from Friday.
The BSF said its men opened fire in “self-defence” as an angry mob attacked a camp of its 76 Battalion which also houses an armoury. “There was no option but to open fire to keep the highly violent mob at bay,” said a BSF official over the phone from the area.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah, while extending his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, strongly condemned the shooting incident, calling it unacceptable. Immediately after the incident the CM spoke to the Union home minister, Mr Shinde, who assured that any use of excessive force or irresponsible action will be dealt with strictly. The state government has also ordered a magisterial enquiry to determine the exact sequence of events.
The CM said, “It is unfortunate that in spite of costly lessons learnt in 2008 and 2010 some amongst us are determined to repeat past mistakes and use force against unarmed protesters. Such incidents risk throwing the entire peaceful atmosphere in jeopardy.” He added that it was highly unacceptable to shoot at unarmed protesters just because they were reportedly protesting manhandling of an imam of their area.