Asif Iqbal Naik
SRINAGAR
Five days after family of a 27 year old youth Abdul Wahid Gujjar of Kishtwar district lodged missing complaint on 23-05-2016 with Police Station Chatroo Kishtwar, J&K Police Saturday registered a murder case against army and started its investigation.
Son of Gafoor Gujjar, resident of Hungana Mulchatar in Tehsil Mughalmaidan, Abdul Wahid is missing since 21-5-2016. He had left his home to invite relatives for the marriage ceremony of his paternal cousin and did not return back home since then.
As per details available with this reporter, large number of people assembled at Sangambati bridge at Mughalmaidan and held a strong protest over the failure of district administration and police in tracing out the missing person.
The protestors demanded immediate registration of FIR against the army personnel and called off the protest only after the intervention and assurance from Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Ghulam Nabi Balwan.
Later on the basis of the complaint filed by the brother of the missing person, Kishtwar police registered FIR No 18/2016 u/s 302 RPC at Police Station Chatroo against unknown army personnel.
The FIR was registered on the basis of “circumstantial evidences” as well as after recording the statements of eyewitnesses who confirmed firing and presence of army in the area when 27 year old Abdul Wahid disappeared.
The relatives and local villagers alleged that Abdul Wahid was killed by army who opened fire in the area before he (Abdul Wahid) disappeared added that they have independent witnesses who authenticated that army opened fire in the area and later threw the dead body into over flowing rivulet.
Army has also put the services of its divers to trace out the dead body of the missing person, besides several cops and VDC members had also been pressed into service for carrying out the search in the area.
When contacted Sandeep Kumar Wazir, Senior Superintendent of Police Kishtwar confirmed the registration of an FIR in this case adding that investigation is being conduct to ascertain the facts.
Meanwhile, Congress Party MLA from Inderwal Ghulam Mohammad Saroori also raised the issue in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and demanded statement from the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti who is also state Home Minister.
