Omar Abdullah demands impartial probe into youth's killing by CRPF in Budgam

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday demanded an impartial inquiry into the killing of a youth in the CRPF firing in Budgam district, saying it was expected that no one would believe the official version of the incident.

"Very unfortunate. The circumstances surrounding this shooting need to be impartially investigated & findings made known. My condolences to the family of the deceased," he wrote on Twitter.

Police said CRPF personnel signalled a car to stop at a checkpoint on the Srinagar-Gulmarg highway in central Kashmir's Budgam district. However, the driver ignored and bypassed two checkpoints in a suspicious condition.

"The naka party opened fire at the vehicle to thwart the attempt. The driver of the vehicle got injured in the incident," a police spokesman said.

The youth was rushed to the SMHS hospital in Srinagar where he succumbed, he said. Police identified the deceased as Mehrajuddin, a resident of Makhama Beerwah in Budgam. Referring to the reports of the youth's family disputing the police's claim that the victim fled two nakas even as CRPF personnel had signalled him to stop, Omar - the National Conference vice-president said no one would believe the official version of the incident as everyone from occupants of Raj Bhavan to bureaucrats lie to people as they did in August last year, a reference to then Governor S P Malik and senior bureaucrats who had said there was no threat to Article 370 which was then subsequently revoked by the Centre.

"As expected family & eyewitnesses dispute the official version of the shooting today and as expected no one will believe the official version. This is what happens when everyone from occupants of Raj Bhavan to bureaucrats lie to people as they did in August last year," Omar said.

Mehrajuddin's family told reporters that he had stopped the car but was still fired upon by the CRPF personnel.

"He was driving his uncle to work. At the first checkpoint, his uncle showed an ID card and they were let go. But, at the second checkpoint, our uncle showed the soldiers his ID card while Mehraj got down from the car, he was shot at by a CRPF man," the family said.