Srinagar, Feb 11: The Special Investigation Team probing the killing of 16-year old Nishat teenager, Zahid Farooq Sheikh, on Thursday said all aspects of the case including allegations against a senior BSF officer would be thoroughly investigated purely on the basis of evidences and eyewitness accounts.  
  “We will probe all aspects of the case including allegations against a BSF officer but in light of circumstantial and scientific evidences,” the Senior Superintendent of Police Srinagar, Javid Riyaz Bedar who also heads the Special Investigating Team probing Zahid’s killing told Greater Kashmir.  
 Pertinently the BSF on Wednesday had admitted that its constable, Lakhvinder was involved in the killing, but Zahid’s family had accused BSF of making the constable as scapegoat and had blamed the senior BSF officer of firing the fatal shot.
 On the BSF’s indictment of a constable in the killings, the SSP said, “Our investigation is not yet over. We assure the people particularly Zahid’s family that our probe will be free and fair. They should have patience and cooperate with us till the probe is completed.”   
 The SSP said police can’t act against anyone on mere allegations. “We have to substantiate it with concrete evidence in the Court of law. Our team is gathering the evidences and we will soon come up with the findings,” he added.
 Incidentally, the Divisional Commissioner, Naseema Lanker, who was appointed as inquiry officer into Zahid’s killing, is scheduled to submit her report to Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah next week.   
 Lanker has recorded statements of the eyewitness and is understood to have got vital clues. One of the prime witnesses (name withheld) who had accused BSF officer of killing Zahid, is said to have recorded his statement before her.
 Zahid’s family quoting witnesses had stated that the BSF officer in white clothes had snatched the rifle from one of the troopers accompanying him and had asked Zahid and his friends to runaway from the spot. “Without any provocation, the officer had aimed at and then fired upon the victim. It is clear that the officer had fired with the intention to kill,” the victim’s father, Farooq Ahmad, had quoted witnesses as having 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