Srinagar court directs Crime Branch to lodge FIR against Nowgam police officer
Srinagar, July 15 :A Srinagar court on Friday directed the Crime Branch to lodge an FIR against an official of Nowgam police station and unknown policemen in the death of a city youth after alleged torture in police custody last week.
25-year-old Muslim Muneer Ahmad, of Budshah Nagar Srinagar was summoned on July 9, to the police station Nowgam in a case pertaining to the theft a two-wheeler. Police said Muslim seemed to be under the influence of drugs at the time of reporting at the police station.
The family alleged that he was killed in custody and later dropped home. Muslim’s death triggered protests in his area.
Muslim’s mother Shafiqa moved a petition before the Srinagar court seeking a probe into the alleged custodial killing of her son.
“There were visible marks of violence on the body of deceased,” the petition by the mother read.
She sought directions from the court to the Station House Officer, Crime Branch, Srinagar to lodge an FIR under relevant Provisions of law against “accused persons” and all other unidentified police officials who allegedly tortured Muslim. She alleged Muslim was killed in cold blood in illegal police custody.
The court on Friday dismissed the application with the direction to crime branch to file an FIR.
“ .. The SHO, PS (Police station) Crime Branch is directed to get an FIR registered in the case against the accused Abdul Rashid (munshi of PS Nowgam) and other unknown police official/s of PS Nowgam under the relevant sections of IPC and get the case investigated by an efficient police officer to bring the culprit/s to book,” the order of City Judge read.
The court did not issue any direction on the plea of Shafiqa wherein she asked for CCTV footage of the police station on the day when her son was summoned.
In her plea she had also requested the court to issue directions to SSP Crime Kashmir to produce CCTV footage of police station Nowgam on July 9 before the court with regard to the whole incident so that the same can be preserved for evidence.
“ It is the domain of the investigating agency and the court can not interfere in the same,” the court order read.
The petition had also sought direction to the SSP Crime Branch, Srinagar to constitute SIT and conduct a court monitored probe in the case.
Soon after the incident, J&K Police had ordered a formal inquiry and also suspended one of its officials after a city youth died when he was called for questioning by the police.(UNI)