Protests in J-K after killing of Gujjar man

Protests rocked a remote south Kashmir hamlet following the killing of a 32-year-old Gujjar early on Wednesday morning.

Protests rocked a remote south Kashmir hamlet following the killing of a 32-year-old Gujjar early on Wednesday morning. J-K Police have registered a case against the Army even as the force regretted the killing and said it would institute an inquiry into the incident.

Soldiers of 42 Rashtriya Rifles killed Gamia Gujjar at Branpathrinagbal village of south Kashmir8217;s Tral town. As the residents of Machama, the native village of Gamia, and its adjacent villages learned about the killing, they took to streets raising slogans against the Army.

Accusing the Army of killing the man in cold blood, the villagers said soon after the incident, the Army forced them indoors and didn8217;t allow them to move out.

The Army, however, termed the incident a case of mistaken identity. 8220;We regret his killing,8221; Brigadier P S Patil of Sector 1 of Rashtriya Rifles RR told The Indian Express. 8220;This was a clear case of mistaken identity. There was no crossfire or any other incident. We don8217;t cook up stories.8221;

Brigadier Patil said the Army would order an inquiry into the incident and see how such incidents could be prevented in future. 8220;We would find out what led to this killing,8221; he said, adding the victim8217;s family would be adequately compensated.

The Army said they had laid a cordon around the village after information about the presence of militants, and when it was still dark on Wednesday, they noticed some movement and asked the person to stop. 8220;But he Gamia ran away,8221; Brigadier Patil said. 8220;He was challenged. When he didn8217;t stop, the soldiers fired, killing him on the spot. In the morning, the soldiers found that he was unarmed. He was a civilian and mentally challenged.8221;

As Awantipora SP Sardar Khan reached the village, the people were allowed to move out. The villagers soon took to the streets and started raising slogans. They were pacified only after the SP assured them of a probe into the matter. In fact, soon after, the J-K police registered a case against the Army.

Bashaarat Masood

Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More