Youth killed by pellet injuries, not shot at point-blank range: J&K to SC
New Delhi: Terming as unfortunate the death of youngsters in the ongoing disturbances in Jammu and Kashmir, the state government on Monday told the Supreme Court that a 26-year-old youth was killed by pellet injuries and not shot at point-blank as claimed by his father.
Making its submissions before the Supreme Court, the state government said the autopsy report has revealed that the young man, who was allegedly killed at Tengpora in Batamaloo area of Srinagar on July 10, had died of pellet injuries.
One Abdul Rehman Mir had alleged that his son Shabir Ahmad Mir was shot by police at his home from a point blank range on July 10, while the Jammu and Kashmir Police had claimed that he had died during protests in the Valley.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi appearing for state government told a bench of Justices P C Ghose and Amitava Roy that the post-mortem report belied the claim of the victim's father that he was shot by policemen from point blank range.
"It's an unfortunate incident. We are not treating it as an adversarial litigation. It is unfortunate that young people are dying in disturbances in the state. The post-mortem report belies the claim of victim's father," Rohatgi said.
The post-mortem, conducted on the body of Shabir Ahmad Mir following the direction of apex court, has revealed that he died of pellet injuries and not because of bullet wounds as claimed by his father.
The bench posted the matter for further hearing on November 23.
On August 12, the apex court had ordered for exhumation and autopsy of the body of Shabir under the supervision of the District and Sessions Judge.
Rohatgi had assured the court that the probe would have the highest level of transparency and the authorities would leave no stone unturned to get to the bottom of the case.
The court had given liberty to the District and Sessions Judge of Srinagar to have the assistance of officers of his choice for the impartial exercise of carrying out the autopsy and exhumation.
The apex court had observed that it was a serious matter and such a situation should be handled with humane approach and extreme sensitivity.
The apex court had earlier stayed contempt proceedings
initiated against the Senior Superintendent of Police and Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Range) for not lodging an FIR against the policemen, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), allegedly involved in the killing of Mir.
It had also issued notice to Mir's father on the plea of the Jammu and Kashmir government.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, had on July 18 directed the SSP to file an FIR against DSP Yasir Qadri and others on an application of Mir's father.
Later, contempt proceedings were initiated by the CJM for non-filing of the FIR against the police officers in connection with the incident.
The family of the deceased has contested the state's plea, claiming the killing to be a separate incident which had nothing to do with the FIR registered by the police.
