He tried to snatch the weapon, was shot in the legs to thwrat the attempt, says Army
Waris Fayaz
Baramulla : Mohsin Solih, a 22-year old Baramulla youth was injured after army allegedly opened fire in Azad Gunj area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday. Family alleges that, their son was taken aside and than fired on both legs while Army says he tried to snatch weapon from a soldier on protection duty.
He was being harassed continuously by the Army personnel post Mohsin’s confrontation with one of their colleagues some two months ago at Azad Gunj market, a family member of Mohsin told.
After being threatened by the forces of dire consequences, he hardly left his home. “Mohsin left home in the morning time for shopping purpose as he was about to get married”, says family.
An eyewitness told, that Army men took Mohsin aside and in a meantime we heard gunshots, and Mohsin was seen laying in a pool of blood.
“We tried to lift him but we were not allowed by the Army men who were on a deployment there”, they said.
Traders version : Post grenade attack at Azad Gunj, we are being continuously forced to shut our business establishments upto 8 pm. We are facing forces harassment everyday, says shopkeepers.
“Routine checking is fine ! but they (security forces) hurl abuses and are forcing us to shut our business establishments upto 8 pm which is not acceptable”, vice president traders said.
“We took this matter with SSP Baramulla and DIG North Kashmir and are expecting good to come”, he added.
However a senior police official told, that a civillian was injured after sustaining bullet injuries in his legs. “A case vide FIR No. 211/2021 under relevant sections of law has been registered in Police station Baramulla and further investigation set into motion”.
In this connection, statements of eye witnesses, family and other bystanders acquainted with facts and cicrumstances are being recorded. Besides evidences including CCTV footage etc is also being collected and analyzed, he said.
Meanwhile, Army in a statement issued said, Mousin Manzoor Shallay, son of Manzoor Ahmed Shallay, 24 years, sustained injuries when he tried to snatch the weapon from a soldier on protection duty and deployed at the market place in Azadganj Chowk, Baramulla on 22 Sep 2021. Individual was shot in the legs to thwart the weapon snatching attempt.
Mousin Manzoor Shallay has a history of being on wrong side of the law. He had earlier assaulted a soldier on duty in similar circumstances around two months back, a video of which is being circulated on social media. The individual was counselled by the Army on that occasion and was let off on assurance of the family members, the statement reads.
The individual also has a past police record in which a case for stone pelting during the year 2012 & 2014 had been registered against him. He had earlier gone missing on 21 Aug 2019 and was apprehended on 05 Oct 2019 at Kralahar Naka (Kanispura) in a military operation. Subsequently, he was released from custody on 22 Jun 2020, it further reads.
Police have registered a case in the present incident and investigation for the same is in progress.
Police Statement :
About 1235 hrs on Wednesday, Baramulla Police received information that some gunshots were heard from Azad Gunj Chowk area of Baramulla and a civilian identified as Mohsin Soleh resident of Arampora has been hit and injured. Accordingly, a case vide FIR No. 211/2021 under relevant sections of law was registered at PS Baramulla and investigation was initiated.
The injured was shifted to hospital with bullet injuries in his legs where his condition is stated to be stable. In this connection, statements of eye witnesses, family and other bystanders acquainted with facts and cicrumstances are being recorded besides, evidences including CCTV footage etc is also being collected and analyzed, the statement reads.
Pertinently, later on concerned Army unit also reported about the said incident in concerned police station as an attempt of weapon snatching by the said injured person, who had a history as an OGW, it reads further.
The investigation into the matter is going on and the full circumstances leading to the incident from all the possible angles is being ascertained, the statement ends.
