Ramban firing: BSF to stick to self-defence stand during probes

The BSF has also ordered a court of inquiry CoI into the incident. The CoI,initiated under the BSF Act,is a systematic inquiry and has stricter provisions for penalty like jail term and even dismissal from service.

The CoI has been initiated and will be over in a few days. It is being done by a DIG-level officer. The personnel present during the questioning of the local cleric have been examined and we are taking the statements of senior officers present at the scene of protests, said a senior officer.

The BSF said a mob of around 700 tried to break into the armoury where sophisticated weapons had been stacked and it was then that they fired in self-defence.

While facing any kind of inquiry and investigation,we will stick to our stand that we fired in self-defence,including during questioning by the police. There was no other way we could have acted. It is also a fact that the local police opened fire first, said the official. The police have registered three FIRs regarding the firing incident at the BSF camp and are doing their own investigations.

The entire incident is part of the CoI now. We would be able to tell anything once that is complete, said Rajiv Krishna,IG Jammu BSF.