Addressing a high-level security meeting here before leaving for New Delhi, Omar said the killing of a youth at Chogal-Handwara by the army has led to concerns among security agencies over deterioration in situation. The chief minister is likely to raise to discuss the killing with the Centre.
“The killing of the youth could have been avoided had the Army followed the decision of unified headquarters,” he said during the meeting on security here. The UH had decided to send policemen along with security forces to handle anti-militancy operations.
The Army had laid an ambush for militants on Friday at Hund-Chogal in north Kashmir. Manzoor Ahmad Magray, the youth, reached the spot and was killed as securitymen opened fire. His family alleged that he was picked by the army and later killed in custody.
Police have registered a murder case against the Army and the state government ordered a judicial inquiry. Omar Abdullah on Saturday visited the bereaved family, whose head is an activist of ruling National Conference. During the security meeting, Lt Gen S A Hanain, General Officer Commanding 15 corps, admitted that killing the youth was a mistake and stated that the Army is investigating the incident.
Talking to reporters, Omar refuted claims by one of his party MLAs—Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan—that the youth’s killing was a conspiracy of the Army to disrupt the peace. He also criticised PDP president Mehbooba Mufti for raising a “hue and cry over the killing of youth and observing silence over the killing of two sisters in Sopore by militants.”
Meanwhile, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman of the hard line faction of Hurriyat Conference, has blamed Omar for the killing of the youth. “Since Omar is heading unified headquarters, he is responsible for the killing,” he said.