Srinagar, Feb 11: The Border Security Force constable arrested in connection with the killing of 16-year old Zahid Farooq in Brain Nishat in the city outskirts was Thursday sent to eight day police remand by a local court here.
Constable Lakhvinder Kumar (belt No 01005455) was today produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar, amid tight security.
After recording the initial statement the court sent Kumar to the police remand. He has been detained in Kothi Bagh police station here and would be interrogated for further investigation into the case. 
On Wednesday the BSF Special Director General, PPS Sidhu told a press conference here that an internal inquiry by the BSF had revealed that Constable Lakhvinder Kumar of 68 battalion was involved in the killing of the teenager.
The constable had been placed under suspension and handed over to Jammu and Kashmir Police for further investigation, he had said.
The Chief Prosecuting Officer Abdul Aziz Teli told Greater Kashmir that police today produced the case dairy before the court. “After studying the details the court was satisfied that it was a fit case for further investigation and hence the accused was sent to police remand for further investigation,” the CPO said.
The killing had evoked massive protests across the Valley forcing the government to order an inquiry by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir. Police has already formed a Special Investigation Team headed by Senior Superintendent of Police to investigate the case on daily basis.
Zahid’s family has accused the BSF of “cover-up” saying it was the senior BSF official and not the constable involved in the killing.
They have demanded free and fair investigation into the matter.
Talking to media persons, senior advocate and High Court Bar Association general secretary Ghulam Nabi Shaheen said even after a lapse of seven days, the government had failed to seize the weapon used for commission of offence.
 “It can be an important lead in the whole incident. But an attempt is being made by some quarters to buy time for destroying the evidences,” Shaheen told media persons outside the court.
He claimed that the police investigation has so fare revealed that three BSF vehicles had passed on the fateful day from Brain.
“Four BSF troopers including an official were travelling in a vehicle from which a trooper in civvies had snatched the gun from his colleague and shot dead Zahid. We apprehend that the trooper in Civvies was a BSF official and it was under a plan that the constable was made a scapegoat in the incident,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:00 IST