KL Report
SRINAGAR
Contradicting the police claims, Special DG, CRPF, D.K.Phatak Monday said that all the four youth killed in CRPF firing at Gagrin Shopian were related to militancy.
“One was the dreaded Pakistani militant while rest of the three youth were his associates,” Phatak told Srinagar based news gathering agency CNS adding that 2010 uprising was in no way orchestrated.
D.K.Phatak termed these claims baseless that slain Shopian youth were innocent. “They were messengers and carriers of Pakistani dreaded militant Abdullah Haroon. We had inputs that these youth were in constant touch with the Pakistani militant. Why on earth CRPF personnel would kill innocent people. The fact is that these youth were accompanying Abdullah Haroon and attacked CRPF personnel outside the camp,” he said.
While replying to a question, D.K.Phatak told CNS that it is wrong to blame CRPF for everything. “Our men never went on rampage after any stone-pelting incident. Allegations are being leveled against our men that they smash windowpanes and beat people ruthlessly. These allegations are baseless and need to be probed,” he said.
“Stone-pelters damaged 252 CRPF vehicles from February, the month when Muhammad Afzal Guroo was executed. During the stone-pelting incidents from February to September, 638 CRPF personnel suffered injuries. Some of our men received fatal injuries. Between Rambagh and Hyderpora, stone-pelters attacked one of our convoy and damaged 7 vehicles completely while one of the drivers of CRPF vehicle suffered grave head injuries,” he said adding that CRPF exercised maximum restraint during stone-pelting incidents.
Special DG, CRPF, D.K.Phatak said that 2010 uprising in no way was orchestrated. “What V.K.Singh has revealed should be probed. V.K.Singh would be the better person to throw light on the matters related to Jammu and Kashmir. During 2010 our men retaliated only when things went out of control. Our job was to maintain law and order and deal with the frenzy mob,” he said.
When asked did any action was taken against the CRPF personnel who shot at a Wagon-R driver near Budshah Bridge, Special DG CRPF said that he would look into the matter. “Actually so many incidents take place here and we have to keep record of every incident. I would go into the details of that incident and would look into it,” he said.
While replying to a question, Phatak said that DPL building where CRPF 14th Battalion is being relocated in Shopian was already meant for us. “It had been already decided that Gagrin Camp would be relocated in DPL building which is under construction. It was the government decision and we obeyed it,” he said adding the government had conveyed us before the Gagrin incident that CRPF camp would be relocated in DPL building Shopian.
