Shopian firing: Cops restrained from taking coercive steps against Army

The Supreme Court yesterday restrained the Jammu and Kashmir police from taking any coercive steps against Army officers, including Major Aditya Kumar, who have been named as accused in the Shopian firing case

Lt Col. Karamveer Singh, father of Major Aditya Kumar, leaves Supreme Court after a hearing. Pic/PTI

The Supreme Court yesterday restrained the Jammu and Kashmir police from taking any "coercive steps" against Army officers, including Major Aditya Kumar, who have been named as accused in the Shopian firing case, in which three civilians were killed. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud also asked the counsel for Lieutenant Colonel Karamveer Singh, the father of Major Aditya Kumar, to share the copies of his petition with the office of Attorney General K K Venugopal and the Jammu and Kashmir government.

As an interim measure, it directed the state government not to take any coercive steps against the Army officials. The apex court had, on February 9, agreed to hear the plea of Singh, seeking to quash the FIR against his son.

'Bhagwat must apologise'
Congress president Rahul Gandhi yesterday criticised RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that the Sangh outfit could "prepare" military personnel faster than the Army, saying it was "absolutely wrong" and he should apologise for it. Gandhi said in Karnataka, "Mohan Bhagwatji's statement is absolutely wrong, he has to apologize. He has to say that he has committed a mistake."