Nagrota firing, power crisis disrupt House

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 17

The power crisis in the Kashmir valley following a heavy snowfall and the shooting incident by the Army in Nagrota, in which a civilian, Hoshiyar Singh, was critically injured, brought the functioning of the Lower House to a standstill today.

National Conference MLAs, including former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, staged a walkout from the House when they were not satisfied with the answer from Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, who is also the Minister for Power.

Replying to the issue raised by NC MLAs, Nirmal Singh said that 80 per cent of the electricity had been restored in the Valley and power would be restored to the rest of the areas soon.

National Conference said the Deputy CM was misleading the House by giving a wrong statement and staged a walkout.

As the proceedings of the House began at 10 am, NC MLA from Nagrota Devender Singh Rana raised the issue of Army firing in the Nagrota area on Monday night in which a civilian, Hoshiyar Singh, who had gone to attend the nature’s call, was shot at by Army men. He was critically injured in the shooting incident.

Raising the issue, Rana said: “While we have been hearing this kind of incidents in the Kashmir valley, it has begun in Jammu as well. The Army is harassing people by asking them to alight vehicles in the name of checking in Nagrota.”

“Recently, I talked to the General Officer Commanding of the 16 Corps and told him that this treatment will lead to some problem in future. And, that has happened today,” Rana said in the House.

He asked the Speaker to give directions to the government to make a statement regarding the firing incident in the House.

Army clarifies position

The Army has clarified its position and said that an unidentified man was found moving suspiciously near the fence of the Nagrota Army camp along the banks of the Tawi. “The alert sentry challenged the person as per the standard operating procedure. The person did not respond to the challenge, crossed the boundary fence and started running towards the camp. On not responding to the repeated challenges, the sentry opened fire, thereby injuring the individual,” said the PRO defence Jammu.

“Subsequently, a quick reaction team approached the individual, administered him first aid and shifted him to the nearest military hospital. The police have been informed and an FIR has been lodged,” he added.

The PRO defence said the area where the individual was found lurking was far from any road and habitation.

An investigation is being carried out to identify and ascertain the antecedents of the individual, he added.

Meanwhile, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri issued a statement in the House, echoing the Army statement.