Sopore: Police in north Kashmir’s Sopore have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Indian Army’s 22 Rashtriya Rifles after the army unit asked a local youth to install a CCTV camera that led to his death.
The police have invoked section 336 (involved in acts endangering the life or personal safety of others) and Section 337 (causing hurt by acts endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code, Scroll.in reported.
The incident occurred on May 7 when Danish Khazir Bhat, 26, of Sopore, was supervising the construction of a two-storied shopping complex near his home. Army personnel from a local camp called him and asked to install a CCTV camera, Bhat’s father Khazir Mohammad told Scroll.in, quoting several eyewitnesses.
At first Bhat refused as he did not have any expertise in doing electric work; however, armed forces allegedly took away his mobile phones and car keys.
“He was forced to climb an electric pole and install a camera by the army personnel,” Bhat told the news website. “While he was climbing down the pole, his elbow touched a live electric wire and he was electrocuted.”
The report quoting Bhat’s father said as the army personnel saw the incident happening, rather than attemptingto bring him down, they fled the spot.
Later, the report said, some local residents kicked the ladder on which Bhat was standing and his burning body fell down.
He was soon evacuated to sub-district hospital in Sopore; however, due to the lack of oxygen, the family alleged, Bhat was shifted to 21 km away trauma centre.
Later, he was referred to Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in a critical care ambulance.
After being admitted for eleven days, Bhat succumbed to his injuries. The lack of oxygen in the initial hours proved critical, as per the report quoting family who were informed by the doctors in Srinagar hospital.
