Srinagar: Special DGP CRPF Zulfiqar Hassan on Thursday once again blamed militants for killing of the elderly man during an attack on CRPF personnel in Sopore on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the wreath-laying ceremony of the CRPF man killed in the militant attack yesterday, Hassan said, “He (the elderly civilian Bashir Ahmed Khan) was killed by the firing of the militants. It was an extremely unfortunate accident.
“I think some people have tried to give it a spin that CRPF took him out of the vehicle and shot him. This is not untrue. I would say with full responsibility that after talking to everyone, and examining a lot of technical details, including cameras, we are very confident of what has happened,” he said.
“I would request people that they should blame militants who were hiding inside the mosque and didn’t care whether a child or an elderly person was there when they opened fire,” local news agency KNS quoted Special DG saying.
“Unfortunately, the civilian has been killed by the militants firing from the mosque. There is no question of CRPF being involved in this. In fact, CRPF was restrained given that militants were firing from the mosque and did not want any damage to the mosque,” he said.
Giving further details about the incident, he said, “The CRPF party was on duty at a particular crossing. When we reached the spot, the militants had already taken the position inside the Masjid and they started firing on the CRPF party from inside the Masjid.
“The CRPF retaliated the fire bravely; the role of the boy (CRPF personnel) who was martyred was very significant. His retaliation was effective. While this firing was going on, the private person (elderly civilian) who came in a car got into the melee. Unfortunately, when he was getting down and was trying to take the child out of the car, he was shot by the militant bullet from the Masjid,” the CRPF officer claimed.
He said that they have examined all the “technical details” regarding the fire which hit the elderly man. “All of us have gone on the spot and have seen the angle of the fire. We are very clear technically that this is the bullet of the militant and obviously child was scared and he ran and was rescued by the CRPF personnel who was there and took care of him till the firing by the militants continued,” he said.
“The militants were forced to flee away from the rare side of the Masjid. The retaliation by the CRPF was effective. We have found bloodstains inside the Mosque; we have also found more than sixty empties and two magazines. It shows militants had taken position well in time and were waiting in the Masjid for the CRPF party to arrive.”
The CRPF officer also requested the Masjid Committees to protect the mosques. “We find the use of mosques for this activity highly reprehensible and I think we have the highest respect for all the religions and we don’t ever enter into the religious place knowing the sanctity of the place. However this use, I think this is repeated use of Masjids by militants. I request Masjid Committees and other respected citizens to secure our religious places and don’t allow hijacking of these places by militants.” (KNS)
