Court records BSF constable statement on teen's killing

Continuing its probe, another Border Security Force personnel recorded his statement before a magistrate on Friday, as the Special Investigating Team was bracing up to question the Commandant R K Birdi, who is alleged to have forced a jawan to shoot a 16-year-old boy.

The incident triggered violent protests in the Kashmir valley.

Official sources said the noose around the BSF commandant has been tightened as constable Dhananjay Gori also claimed that the officer had forced a jawan to fire on the teenager.

The statement was made under Section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code in the court of chief judicial magistrate a day after head constable of the paramilitary force Ram Singh recorded his statement before a court.

The police have seized the firing weapon and three vehicles used by the personnel of the unit at the time of the incident, sources said.

The weapon, which was allegedly used to shoot teenager Zahid Farooq dead, has been sent to ballistic experts for tests and the three vehicles of the BSF were seized and taken to a police station where forensic teams would take its tyre samples and match it with those at the crime scene.

In a related development, the police custody of Constable Lakhvinder Kumar of the BSF, who has been arrested after an internal inquiry found that there was possibility of his involvement in the shooting of the teenager on February 5, was extended till February 24. He continued to be unrepresented in court.

Kumar, had, however, told the police that he opened firing on the orders of Commandant Birdi, which he has denied.

Following Kumar's allegation, the Union home ministry has issued suspension order for Birdi, commandant of the 68th Battalion, who has been confined to the local headquarters pending an inquiry by an officer of the rank of inspector general.