Deceased youth's father expresses gratitude to Army

Srinagar, Nov 27: The father of one of the two youths killed in Budgam firing incident today expressed gratitude to the Army for completing the inquiry within three weeks but claimed no one from the official machinery had come to visit them.

"I say thanks to the Army, to the Lt General (Subrata Saha) for completing the inquiry in three weeks," Mohammad Yousuf, father of Faisal Yousuf, told reporters. Yousuf, however, said although the army had announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the family of each deceased and Rs five lakh for the injured, no one from army or the district administration had come to visit them.

"We have heard of the compensation through newspapers only. No one from the army or district administration has come to visit us," he said. Army today said it had completed the inquiry into the killings in the firing incident by its troops at Chattergam in Budgam district.

"The inqury has been completed and the report has been submitted," an army official based in Army's Northern Command headquarter said. The official said the report is being examined by the legal department for further procedure as warranted under law. Faisal Yousuf and Mehraj Ahmad Dar were shot dead while two other youths were injured in allegedly unprovoked firing by army troops at a motor vehicle checking point at Chattergam. The army while ordering an inquiry into the incident had promised a fast track probe to be completed within 10 days.

PTI