Court orders judicial probe into Wamiq's killing

Nishwan Rasool:
Srinagar, May 11: A local court here Tuesday ordered a judicial enquiry to probe the circumstances which led to the death of 13-year-old Wamiq Farooq, who was killed on January 31 this year after a teargas shell fired by the police hit him.

“Chief Judicial Magistrate has referred the judicial enquiry to the judge of small cases Srinagar,” Advocate G N Shaheen, who is pleading the case on behalf the complainant, said.

“The judicial enquiry should complete within two months,” the order passed by Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar, Mohammad Ibrahim Wani reads.

The hearing in the case will now commence on July 15.
On April 16 this year, court had recorded statements of two witnesses in support of an application seeking registration of FIR under section 302 (murder) against police officials accused of firing tear gas shell that killed Wamiq.

The application was filed by Farooq Ahmad Wani, father of diseased teenager, on March 27.
Both the witnesses had stated in the court that they could identify all the police men who were present on the occasion including Assistant Sub Inspector Abdul Khaliq and Constable Mohammad Akram.

Wamiq Farooq Wani of Rainawari was killed after he was hit by a teargas shell fired by police near Gani Memorial stadium rajouri Kadal, in old city Srinagar.

Wamiq's death led to widespread protests across valley for many days.

However, the police on February 20, in its report had described Wamiq a “miscreant” who was involved in stone pelting and succumbed to an injury sustained in police's “retaliatory measure” at Rajouri Kadal.

Subsequently, on March 27 Wamiq’s father had moved an application before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate seeking registration of FIR against accused police officials under section 302 (murder). He also recorded his statement before the court on March 30.

The family had also sought constitution of a Special Investigation Team comprising of “senior and credible police officials” to investigate the matter and bring the accused police officials to justice.