Major was not at Shopian firing spot, claim Army sources

The Army major, who was mentioned in the FIR over death of two civilians in the firing incident in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, was not present at the spot of the incident, Army sources claimed today.
The Army has launched an investigation into the incident, they added.
"The major was not present at the site of the incident. He was around 200 metres away from it... He was in the vicinity of the spot," a source said.
Two civilians were killed when Army personnel fired at a stone-pelting mob in Shopian on Saturday, triggering protests and prompting Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to order an inquiry into the incident.

On Sunday, the police registered the FIR under sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) against the personnel of 10, Garhwal unit, of the Army. The Major, who led the Army personnel at the time of the incident, was also mentioned in the FIR.
J-K Police chief S P Vaid said yesterday that registration of the FIR in the Shopian incident is just the beginning of the investigation and the Army's version would be taken into account as well.

A defence spokesman on Sunday had said in Srinagar that the troops opened fire when a mob tried to lynch a junior commissioned officer and snatch his service weapon.

"An Army administration convoy was passing through Ganovpora when it came under unprovoked and intense stone- pelting by a group of 100-120 stone-pelters. Within no time, their number swelled to 200-250 persons," the spokesperson said.
"The crowd surrounded an isolated portion of the convoy consisting of four vehicles," he said, noting that the stone- pelters caused extensive damage to these vehicles and tried to set them on fire.