SRINAGAR: India’s ruling Congress party has condemned the killing of four persons in firing by paramilitary CRPF in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Saturday.
Prof Saifuddin Soz, former Member Parliament and president of the J&K Pradesh Congress Committee, called the killings “a deplorable act” and said the incident was “highly painful”.
The CRPF has said three of the four slain youth were militants who attacked their camp. The police, on their part, said only two were militants while the others were civilians.
Residents, separatists and even pro-India political parties like the People’s Democratic Party have challenged official claims.
“Dubbing them as militants is like rubbing salt into the wounds of their families,” said PDP patron, Mehbooba Mufti.
Soz, whose party rules the state in coalition with the National COnference, has asked the government for a clarification.
“I make a strongly plea with the State Government to share the verified facts with the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
