Refuting the allegation on social media about the death of a civilian in Sopore by CRPF on Wednesday, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar this afternoon said if anyone has any evidence about security force involved in the incident action will be taken.
A CRPF jawan was killed and three others were injured when militants attacked a patrol party in Sopore this morning. A civilian Bashir Ahmad Khan, a resident of Srinagar, was also killed in the firing.
Talking to reporters on completing six month in office as police chief in Kashmir, Kumar said it was absolutely wrong to blame security forces for the killing of Khan, who was killed in militant firing. He said police rescued the three year old grandson of Khan who was also with him when firing by militants took place.
About the allegation of Khan’s son and other relatives that he (Khan) was brought down from the car and later shot dead by CRPF personnel after their four men were injured, IGP said they have given this statement after threatening by militants.
Neither son nor any other relative of the Khan was there when firing took place, he said and questioned how they can blame security forces.
He said wrong reports and pictures are being uploaded on different social media sites. We refute these allegation, he said and warned action under relevant laws.
This time we did not suspend mobile internet service in Sopore to see the response of the people. But, he said social media was again misused by miscreants to spread rumours and instigate people for violence. Normally we suspend internet when there is an encounter in the valley to prevent rumours, he said.
However, he said, action will be taken against all those involved in spreading wrong information on social media. Cyber wing of the police has already registered over 21 cases for misusing social media, he said adding three have been arrested.
He said 22 civilians were killed this year. However, all were killed in militant firing, he said adding not a single person was hurt in security force firing during encounters in which 118 militants were killed.
Besides family members of Khan, Apni Party (AP) has also sought a thorough investigation in the killing civilian in the firing.
Meanwhile, a police spokesman said this afternoon that news surfaced on some social networking sites that the civilian was brought down and killed. He said it is totally baseless and is far beyond the facts. Sopore Police refutes and denies the news and legal action shall be initiated against the false reports and rumours, he said.