Police shielding ITBP personnel, says slain youth’s family

Family of the slain youth, Akil Ahmad Wani, who allegedly died in the firing by the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel on the polling day at Atnoo in Beerwah on April 9, has accused the police of shielding the erring paramilitary force personnel.

Akil’s father, Mohammad Amin Wani, said that the police has not done any action against the erring force personnel after the “murder” of his son.

“They are shielding the paramilitary force personnel and have in fact accused my son of being a culprit,” Wani told ‘Kashmir Vision’.

A video of Akil being fired at a close range by the ITBP personnel, who were posted at the Atnoo polling station, had gone viral drawing widespread rage from people here in the Valley.

After another video of a youth being tied to the bonnet of army jeep surfaced. Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, directed the police to furnish reports in the string of videos that had surfaced.

On 9 April, when the polling was being held on Srinagar parliamentary seat, Akil had left his home, but later died in the firing by paramilitary force personnel.

Akil’s cousin, Gulzar Ahmad Paul, said that earlier when the family members visited the concerned police station they didn’t record their statement to register the murder case and informed them that the investigation in the case has already been taken up.

Paul said that they were shocked that the incidents in the case have been recorded to only provide protection to the ITBP personnel.

“We have got the copy of the FIR from the police. But they have only blamed Akil. In the FIR they have mentioned that Akil was part of the mob which attacked the polling staff at the Atnoo polling station and even damaged the EVMs and held the staff hostage. However, the video clearly shows that the youth were only outside the polling station and had not ventured inside,” said Paul.  He said that they will approach the court to seek justice.

Paul added that the police have not taken any action against the ITBP personnel, when they had given a clear statement that Akil could have been easily arrested.

“The FIR mentions that the ITBP personnel fired four shots and one of them hit Akil. There were two polling stations and at least 16 ITBP personnel were deployed for duty while as the number of youth who had protested was only 7-8 in number. They could have easily arrested Akil, but the force personnel resorted to targeted killing,” said Paul.

Police have however said that they have registered the case against ITBP personnel and the investigation in the case was underway.

“We are investigating the case and all angles will be probed,” said a senior police official.

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