Srinagar: Army on Monday claimed that the troops fired in ‘self defence’ after its Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) came under ‘heavy firing’ from two vehicles on Sunday evening.
The statement issued by the Army however silent about the civilian found dead in the morning, according to Srinagar based Army PRO Rajesh Kalia, they are still investigating about it.
“We will share the details as the investigation about the fourth person found dead in the car is complete,” kalia told INS.
Here we reproduce the Statement issued by the Army over the Shopian incident:
“On 04 March 2018, at 7 pm, an Army Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) was deployed along road Trenz- Pinzoora near village Pohanu. At around 8 pm in the evening, two speeding vehicles were seen approaching the MVCP location from the direction of village Trenz.
The stops deployed, signaled the vehicles to stop, however both the vehicles continued to move. At this point, when a search light was flashed towards the approaching vehicles, heavy firing came from both the vehicles.
Own troops, in self defence, responded the same with fire. In the ensuing gun fight, one terrorist firing from one of the vehicles was hit and he fell off the vehicle and the vehicle veered off the road towards the nala and the second vehicle sped off.
Later during the search, the body of terrorist was recovered, who was identified as Amir Ahmad Malik R/O village Harmen, Cat- C terrorist. He was part of banned terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Toiba and was active since July 2017. War like stores including one AK-74, 3 magazines and 88 rounds were also recovered from the dead terrorist. Three more dead bodies were found in the vehicle during the search. These individuals were accompanying the terrorist.
At around 9 am on 5 March 2018, body of another terrorist, identified as Ashiq Hussain Bhat, R/O Rakh Kapar, part of banned terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Toiba, was found from apple orchards of village Saidpura, who is also linked with the same chain of events at village Pohanu.”
