Srinagar
The Supreme Court on Monday, stayed “coercive action” against Major Aditya Kumar of the 10 Garhwal Rifles, under first information (FIR) no.26/2018 Police Station Shopian, in a petition seeking quashing of the FIR.
Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) has said the Supreme Court order staying the FIR against the army in the Shopian Murder Case has not surprised them.
In a statement, the JKCCS has raised several points of concern. “The stay of investigations against Major Aditya Kumar is irregular and against the established norms of criminal procedure. Courts rarely interfere in ongoing investigations,” the statement read.
JKCCS said that the order is ‘neither surprising nor a serious set back to the extent that the impunity for the armed forces in Jammu and Kashmir is entrenched.’
The statement went on to say that the incidents clearly indicate that justice is only possible in Jammu and Kashmir under the broader framework of international law, including international humanitarian law.
The Army, however, had said that they fired in ‘self-defence’ after they were provoked to the ‘ultimate’ by a stone-throwing crowd.
Shopian Killing: Supreme Court stays FIR against Army officer
The BJP, coalition partner of the ruling PDP had demanded that the FIR against the Army should withdraw and a new one lodged without naming anyone. However, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that the investigation would be taken to its ‘logical end.’
Shopian Killings: CM says investigations will be taken to logical conclusion
A BJP leader Subramanian Swamy threatened Mehbooba Mufti to withdraw the FIR against the army otherwise her government would be toppled.
“What’s this nonsense? Dismiss that government. Tell Mehbooba (Mufti) to withdraw the FIR else her government would be toppled,” Swamy had said.
