Shopian Firing: SC Restrains Cops From Taking Coercive Steps Against Army Officers
The Supreme Court today restrained the Jammu and Kashmir Police from taking any "coercive steps" against Army officers including Major Aditya Kumar, who have been made an accused in the Shopian firing case in which three civilians were killed.
New Delhi, February 12: The Supreme Court on Monday, 12 February, has put a stay on the First Information Report (FIR) filed against Major Aditya Kumar of 10 Garhwal Rifles, in connection with the death of three civilians. The civilians were killed in an alleged Army firing which took place in Shopian in January. The apex court also issued a notice to the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government and has sought a response within two weeks in this regard, ANI reported. The court also ordered and made it clear that no coercive action should be initiated against the Army personnel.
Advocate Aishwarya Bhati had filed the petition on behalf of Lieutenant Colonel Karamveer Singh, father of army officer Aditya Kumar, who is accused in the case. Advocate Aishwarya Bhati told media persons that “The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir government while we have been asked to submit a copy of the petition to the office of Attorney General of India (AGI). The court has requested AGI to clarify the Centre’s stand on the case within two weeks. The state government has also been asked to issue a clarification within the given time period.” Bhati added, “On our request, the court has ordered that no coercive action should be taken against Major Aditya Kumar in pursuance of the FIR lodged against him. It is a positive and an encouraging day for us.”
Karamveer Singh in his plea to the apex court, mentioned that the firing had to be resorted to control “a savage and violent mob engaged in terrorist activity” He has also contested that the FIR violated the fundamental rights of his son. The Army officer said that the petition was submitted “for protecting the morale of the soldiers of Indian Army, who are facing all odds in performance of their bonafide duties and laying their lives in the line of duty, to uphold the dignity of the Indian flag”.
The unruly behaviour of the "unlawful assembly" escalated and they got hold of a Junior Commissioned Officer and were in the process of lynching him when warning shots were fired to disperse the violent mob and protect public property, the plea has said. Singh has also referred to last year's incident of a mob lynching DSP Mohd Ayub Pandith to apprise the top court about the situation in the state and the condition in which Army officials were working to control violent mobs in Kashmir. (With Agency Inputs)
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 12, 2018 02:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).