KL Report
SRINAGAR
Army on Monday claimed that their men did not kill Irfan Nabi Ganaie at Markundal. “We are surprised who fired upon him. I reached myself on the spot and checked the ammunition of my men and I found that not a single bullet was used by my Jawans,” Brigadier 3 Sector Rashtriya Rifles, Brij Gopal Sharma told reporters at Mansbal, soon after protestors set Army Goodwill School on fire.
However, he admitted that another youth Tariq got killed in Army firing. “We were helpless at that time. The protestors had snatched the keys of our vehicles and damaged one of the ambulances (A02K007215Y) completely. Our jawans fired upon the protestors in self defence,” he said.
Sharma said, “The Jawans of 13 RR and SoG personnel had laid a siege of Markundal area after we had received an information that militants were present in the village,” adding “Irfan lost his life when he came out from his house but we don’t know who fired upon him. At least army jawans did not kill him.”
He said that Army cordons any area after receiving inputs about the presence of militants. “Our job is not to harass people. We are people friendly and a disciplined force,” Brij Gopal Sharma said.
He lamented that those people whose children study in the school set Army Goodwill School on fire.
“Few people entered into the premises of the school and set it on fire. Two classrooms and the school library was completely damaged in the incident. We showed utmost restraint and did not retaliate,” he said adding the school is a reputed one where 328 Kashmiri students study. (CNS)
