JK government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the killing of a civilian by CRPF personnel at Khaigam village of South Kashmirs Pulwama district. CRPF has already ordered a court of inquiry and suspended an officer and three jawans who were leading the operation on Wednesday evening. A senior official will conduct magisterial inquiry, Deputy Commissioner Pulwama Ishtaiq Ashai said. Whoever will be found guilty will be punished, he said. Centre Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is under tremendous pressure from the government to hand over the jawans involved in this killing to the Police. A murder case against the CRPF was registered at Rajpora police station on Wednesday evening soon after senior Police officials visited the village. The killing of Malik is the fifth unprovoked civilian killing since the new government led by Omar Abdullah came to power in the state. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had from day one been insisting on zero tolerance towards human rights violation and the fresh civilian killing in Pulwama has put him in a tight spot. CRPF has also initiated probe into the killing and ordered a court of inquiry into this killing. CRPF spokesman,P Tripathi said that four personnel,including an assistant commandant S P Chaturvedi who was leading the operation,have been placed under suspension. The CRPF spokesman however said the troops were moving towards the village when they came under fire from a house. Locals however contradict with the CRPF version and termed it baseless. The killing of the 30 year old civilian Ghulam Mohiuddin Malik had sparked massive protest demonstrations in Khaigam and other neighbouring villages. The protestors were also demanding the shifting of CRPF unit from the area. Without any provocation the CRPF jawans killed a poor man who was lone bread earner for his family, blamed Bashir Ahmad Bhat,a local villager. Now,who is going to look after this poor family, he said. Not only guilty should be arrested and punished,the CRPF unit should also be shifted from the area, he said. On Wednesday evening Police said the troops of CRPFs 181 battalion were conducting a search operation in the village when some jawans fired on Malik,killing him on the spot. Officials said while conducting the search operation in the village the CRPF had not followed the operational procedure and had not informed the local police as is mandatory in case of any search operation during the night hours.
