Family accuses troopers of killing civilian, CRPF denies

SRINAGAR — The Srinagar family of slain civilian, who was killed after militants attacked CRPF in Sopore on Wednesday, accused Paramilitary troopers of killing the elderly man.

They alleged that Bashir Ahmed, a resident of Mustafa Abad HMT area of Srinagar was dragged out from his vehicle and shot at point blank range by Paramilitary troopers.

CRPF spokesperson, in his version, while divulging information about the shootout, said that today at around 07:30 hours, Golf Company of 179 Battalion CRPF reached Model Town Chowk of north Kashmir’s Sopore for Naka/patrolling duties.

He said, “As the troops were alighting from the vehicles to occupy their respective spots of deployment, militants hiding in the attic of a nearby mosque started firing indiscriminately on the troops, resulting in injuries to four CRPF personnel. These include Constable Bhoya Rajesh, Head Constable Deep Chand Verma, Constable Deepak Patil and Constable Nilesh Patil. Head Constable Deep Patil succumbed to his injuries while one civilian died on the spot in the militant attack.”

Refuting the claims made by CRPF, the family of slain civilian alleged that Bashir Ahmed was killed in cold blood. “We received phone calls from Sopore who informed us that our father has been killed by troopers,” the son of the deceased man said.

Quoting eyewitnesses, the slain’s son said that the little kid who was accompanying his grandfather was terrified after troopers shot him dead. “My father was 65 years old and he had gone to Sopore for some work. He was a Contractor by profession and was accompanying his grandson,” he said.