CISF firing unwarranted and inexcusable: Omar Abdullah

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday slammed the CISF over the killing of a youth during firing on protesters, accusing it of using "excessive" force which was "unwarranted and inexcusable". As the incident during protests against power shortage outside NHPC-run Uri Power Project at Boniyar on Monday sparked an outrage, Omar flew in from the winter capital Jammu and met the family members of Altaf Ahmad at Barnait village in Uri tehsil.

Omar told the family his government will spare no effort in ensuring exemplary punishment to the CISF personnel responsible for the killing. Five CISF personnel were arrested hours after the incident. "I have no doubts that Altaf was murdered," Omar said after visiting the hamlet uphill Boniyar.

"He was not a protester and was actually returning from his tuitions and had books in his hand. He was shot twice in his chest while he was passing through the NHPC gate." The state government has already handed over ex-gratia relief of 1 lakh to the family.