Protesters tried to lynch occupants of vehicle: CRPF on Friday incident
Srinagar, June 3 (IBNS): The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has said that demonstrators in Kashmir were trying to lynch the occupants of the vehicle which ran through a hostile mob in downtown Srinagar on Friday that left a youth dead and triggered a fresh wave of protests and criticism.
CRPF spokesman in Srinagar Sanjay Sharma said a group of over 500 protestors surrounded the CRPF vehicle that was ferrying a senior officer.
A TV footage showed a mob tried to attack the vehicle.
The officer, according to Sharma, was supposed to check the deployment in the area.
“The mob tried to open the back door of the vehicle that was closed from inside and lynch the CRPF men. They broke the window glasses of the vehicle,” Sharma said.
He also claimed that the driver of the vehicle “slowed down his speed and didn’t run over the youth.”
A police official said that a youth identified as Kaiser Bhat, 21, of Fateh-a- Kadal succumbed to his injuries at SKIMS Soura here late on Friday night.
The police have filed two First Information Reports or FIRs against the CRPF's Srinagar unit and charged it for an attempt to murder and rash driving.
Ravideep Singh Sahi, IG CRPF, told media that law will take its own course in the incident.
"FIR of the incident has been recorded in the concerned police station. Law will take its own course. We'll put forth our version, which is supported by photograph and video evidence," he told ANI.
The incident took place near Srinagar's Jamia mosque in the Nowhatta area, just a few days before Home Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to the valley.
The incident, however, triggered a political war with the BJP condemning the move of filing an FIR against the CRPF.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy tweeted: "What is happening in Kashmir 100 times more than what happened in Thuthukudi ( Tuticorin). Yet TN Police shot dead 13 persons to restore law & order. But in Kashmir case registered against innocent CRPF!! Not acceptable."
Ravindra Raina, Leader, BJP, told Times Now: "Lodging FIR against CRPF Jawan is unacceptable."
Reacting to the incident, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullha tweeted: "Earlier they tied people to the fronts of jeeps & paraded them around villages to deter protestors now they just drive their jeeps right over protestors. Is this your new SOP @MehboobaMufti sahiba? Ceasefire means no guns so use jeeps?"
Image: TV Footage grab
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