Second time in week Army’s knee jerk firing at ‘suspects’ raised in Assembly

TA fire in air, Suspects turn out to be crockery vendors

SUMIT SHARMA/BIVEK MATHUR

JAMMU: Second time in a week Army’s knee jerk reaction of firing at alleged ‘suspects’ in Nagrota area rocked the Legislative Assembly Friday with government cautiously avoiding to make any comment despite Opposition’s strong reactions.
Four days after the Army fired at a civilian in Nagrota suspecting him to be a militant, an alert sentry fired in the air on being approached by men in Tata Sumo at Tutain Di Khui. No casualty or injuries were reported even as the “suspects” this time turned out to be crockery vendors.
NC MLA from Nagrota constituency, Devinder Singh Rana raised a ‘point of information’ saying, “I have been receiving information from people of Tutain Di Khui (a part of his Nagrota constituency) that some alleged Eco Task Force of Forest Department opened fire in the area.” Addressing the chair, Rana said, “I want to know why the alleged Echo Task Force opened fire?”
On the direction of the chair, Education Minister, Naeem Akthar, who was present in the house said, “The information will be provided to the NC MLA very soon.”
Meanwhile, as per reports, the incident took place at Tutain Di Khui area, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Nagrota police station, where a jawan of 129 TA ECCO Company opened fire in the air when a Tata Sumo bearing registration number JK02AW/0485 approached the camp and one of the three persons sought directions.
The alert jawan on sentry duty opened firing in air suspecting them to be militants.
The trio, sensing their lives in danger, left their vehicle and fled from the spot. They were later intercepted by the Sidhra Police on naka point. The police identified them as Riyaz Ahamd, son of Abdul Majid, Nawaz Ahmad Dar, son of Mohd Afzal Dar, and the driver Yasin Ahmad Dar, son of Khalil Ahmad Dar, all residents of Mutalhama, Kulgam.
During questioning, they told the police that they were crockery vendors and were looking for a village near Tutain-di-Khui to sell their items.
When the police checked the Tata Sumo, it found that it was laden with crockery items. However, their questioning was on.

Earlier, on January 16 night a civilian, namely, Hoshiyar Singh received bullet injury after the Army opened firing suspecting him to be a militant.
The incident was raised in the Assembly when NC MLA from Nagrota Devender Singh Rana objected on the way the Army is working in his constituency.
Rana had said that Hoshiyar Singh, who had gone to attend the nature’s call, was shot at by Army men.
The next day, Army clarified saying that the man was moving suspiciously near the fence of the Nagrota Army camp along the banks of the Tawi. The alert sentry challenged him as per the standard operating procedure. However, the man started running towards the camp forcing the troop to open fire at him.
Later, in the evening, when Rana raised the issue again, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, A.R. Veeri said, “It was not Echo Task Force of Forest Department but it was Army’s Echo Task Force that opened fire after witnessing movement of some suspects in the area.”
“After witnessing the movement of suspects, Army Task Force opened fire on them,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Abdul Rehman Veeri replied to the NC MLA.