Preliminary probe into the firing incident in Ramban in Jammu and Kashmir punctured the claims made by BSF that there was a firing from the mob as one of its personnel who sustained injuries from bullet was fired by the force.
The BSF on Thursday also claimed to have identified a 25-year-old local whose interception and questioning triggered the protests at its camp in Ramban.
BSF IG (Jammu Frontier) Rajeev Krishna said the BSF jawan sustained gun-shot wounds as the protesters pelted stones and tried to force their way.
Initial probe found constable Ramhari of the force, who suffered a bullet injury in the stomach, was caught in the firing when he was returning to the BSF camp.
The condition of the constable is stable after his treatment at the government medical college in Jammu.
The force claimed Mohammed Latif, son of Mustafa and a resident of Dalwah in the area, instigated the mob leading to the situation where four people were killed and 44 others, including security personnel, were injured in stone-pelting and resultant firing.
Latif was intercepted in Daram belt of Gool tehsil and was questioned about his presence in the area. “It is learnt that this person levelled baseless and false allegation that BSF patrol party mistreated and indulged in sacrilege and announced the same on the loudspeaker from the mosque after which a crowd of around 400-500 persons gathered and started stone-pelting on BSF post Dharam,” a BSF statement said here.
The statement said the security personnel were “compelled” to fire.
“It is learnt that efforts were made by a section of protesters and they tried to attack the post and inflict injuries to the BSF and police persons compelling them to open fire in self defence,” the statement added.
The force said its troops “restrained from firing and informed the local police about the likelihood of deterioration of situation due to the violent actions by the locals.”
“Immediately, a police party arrived at company base Dharam and took stock of the situation. The crowd was later dispersed,” the statement said.
One BSF vehicle was badly damaged by the civilians besides inflicting injuries to many BSF persons. Protesters blocked all the roads going towards the BSF post and thus force personnel remain confined to the post, it said.