Police register murder case against Army in Kashmir

Srinagar, Nov 18 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir police today registered a murder case against the Army for killing a 22-year-old youth in Kulgam district yesterday.

Official sources said the police registered FIR number 121/07 under section 302 against soldiers of 9 Rashtriya Rifles (RR).

Reyaz Ahmed Sofi, a baker, was shot dead by soldiers at Damhal Hanjipora near Yarikhah in Kulgam district. The killing triggered violent protests in the area in which five policemen were critically wounded.

Kulgam Deputy Commissioner, Lateef-uz-Zaman Deva, who has been asked to conduct an inquiry into the incident and book the errant soldiers involved in the heinous crime, ruled out that Sofi, a father of two daughters and a son, was killed in the cross-firing.

''On the basis of information received from the Superintendent of Police, there was no presence of militants in the area during the past few days. Sofi was not killed in the cross-firing,'' he added.

Mr Deva said prima facie evidence pointed towards the involvement of the Army in the killing, which the police was investigating.

Defence spokesman Lt Col A K Mathur said the Army would also conduct detailed investigations into the killing.

He had earlier claimed that Sofi was killed in the cross-fire between militants and troops of 9 RR.

However, the locals contradicted his statement, saying soldiers fired upon Sofi around dawn yesterday, killing him on the spot.

UNI