Srinagar: BSF constable remanded to police custody

A Border Security Force constable arrested in connection with the killing of a 16-year-old boy in the Kashmir Valley which had sparked widespread protests earlier in February, has been remanded in 11-day judicial custody.

Constable Lakhvinder Kumar, accused of killing 16-year-old Zahid Farooq of Brein-Nishat on February 5, was in police custody since February 10. He was produced before Srinagar Chief Judicial Magistrate Mohammad Ibrahim on Wednesday by the officials of the SIT seeking judicial remand for 15 days. After going through the application of the SIT and hearing the accused and prosecution counsel, the CJM observed in his order that "the investigation of the case, as is evident from the perusal of the case diary,

is incomplete. Sufficient grounds exist for remanding the accused. The accused is remanded to judicial custody for a period of 11 days."

Earlier, Kumar was produced by the SIT before the CJM on February 19 who sent the accused to five-day police remand till February 24. The accused was handed over to the SIT by the BSF on February 10 and completed 14 days in police custody on Wednesday. Meanwhile, family members of another victim, 13-year-old Wamik Farooq, accused the police of "protecting the culprit" involved in the killing of the boy by a teargas shell last month. Father of the victim, Farooq Ahmad, rubbished the police statement that his son had pelted stones on security men. Wamik was hit by a teargas canister on January 31 at Rajouri Kadal.