J&K police rebuffs Army’s theory in Shopian killing

The Jammu and Kashmir police, while investigating the killing of six people including two militants on Sunday evening in Pahnoo village of Shopian in South Kashmir, have contradicted the Army’s theory that four of those slain were over-ground workers of militant groups. 

The police’s contradictory stand in the matter invited calls for protests by the separatists. The government responded by imposing restrictions and ordering the closure of all educational institutions. The closure of the schools and colleges came at a time when they were scheduled to be opened post the winter vacation. Several important examinations, including the combined competitive MAINS examinations, have been deferred. 

J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted that those who were killed were civilians and were caught in crossfire. The Army had said that they had killed a militant Shahid Ahmad Dar during the gunfight, but the police in its initial report submitted to the state home department said that no militant by this name had been killed, although a young boy with that name is missing from the area.