Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): In the wake of allegations surrounding the death of a civilian in Sopore on Wednesday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police denied that he was killed in firing by the security forces.
Detailing the sequence of events to the media here, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that two Lashkar-e-Taiba militants (LeT) militants fired at the 'naka' party of the CRPF from a mosque at Model Town in Sopore, in which a CRPF Head Constable and the civilian were killed.
He claimed that the security forces did not fire a shot during the incident.
"When CRPF men were deboarding from the vehicle to be part of joint 'naka' party at Model Town, two militants hiding in the mosque fired indiscriminately. One CRPF trooper was killed and three others injured. A civilian was also hit by bullets and died later," he added.
He further said that the attack was carried out by LeT militants -- a foreigner Usman Bhai and a local, Adil.
"There was no retaliation from the security forces. Militants left behind one full magazine and another one from which 30 bullets were used at the mosque," the IGP said while denying the slain civilian's family's accusations that he was shot dead by security forces after pulling him out of his vehicle.
The IGP further added that the minor boy accompanying the dead civilian was rescued.
A picture of the three-year-old boy sitting on the body of his grandfather was doing the rounds on social media. "We have observed that wherever the civilian movement is more, militants are carrying out attacks to trigger law and order issues and to trigger disturbances. We did not deliberately close the Internet services in Sopore just to see how people behave," he informed.
"The video message circulated on social media by the son and daughter of the slain man is totally baseless. They have leveled allegations under militant threats," Vijay Kumar added.