Sure Chak Firing: Two Policemen Suspended, SIT Formed and Magisterial Probe Ordered Amid Public Outrage
JAMMU, July 25: In response to the controversial killing of a youth in an alleged police firing incident in the Sure Chak area of Jammu, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have taken swift action by suspending two District Special Branch (DSB) personnel and ordering multiple investigations to ensure accountability and transparency. The incident, which has triggered widespread outrage and protests, has also prompted the district administration to initiate a magisterial inquiry.
The suspended officials—Head Constable Baljinder Singh and Selection Grade Constable Pawan Singh—were reportedly involved in the incident that led to the death of Mohammad Parvez, a resident of Nikki Tawi. According to an official order issued by SSP Jammu, Joginder Singh, both officers have been placed under suspension with immediate effect, pending investigation in case FIR No. 153/2025 registered under sections 109(1), 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 3/27 of the Arms Act. They have been instructed to remain at District Police Lines (DPL) Jammu and deposit their uniforms in the DPL store. While under suspension, they will be eligible for subsistence allowances as per service rules.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by SDPO Domana, Mudassar Hussain, has been constituted to probe the incident. The SIT includes SHO Nagrota Inspector Parvez Sajjad, SHO Satwari Inspector JP Singh, SHO Basantgarh SI Abdul Star, and a senior prosecution officer. The team will focus on investigating the sequence of events and examine allegations raised by the family of the deceased, who claim that Parvez was killed in cold blood.
Simultaneously, a magisterial inquiry has been ordered by District Magistrate Jammu, Sachin Kumar Vaishya. The probe, to be conducted by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Jammu South, has been mandated to conclude within two weeks and submit a comprehensive report detailing the circumstances that led to the youth’s death.
Earlier in the day, the mortal remains of Mohammad Parvez were handed over to his family from the Government Medical College Jammu. He was laid to rest at the family’s ancestral graveyard in Javed Nagar, Nikki Tawi, in the presence of grieving relatives and local residents. Following the burial, family members and community representatives engaged in a virtual meeting with top civil and police officials, including SSP Jammu. During the interaction, they were reportedly assured of fair compensation and a government job for one of the family members—although no official confirmation of this commitment has been made by authorities so far.
Despite the assurances, tensions escalated as members of the Gujjar community and local residents staged protests in Javed Nagar, demanding justice and calling the incident an “extra-judicial killing.” Prominent Gujjar activist Talib Choudhary questioned the legitimacy of the police action, stating, “Even if he was a suspect, who gave the police the authority to kill him without a trial?”
Senior advocate Sheikh Shakeel, who joined the protest, demanded criminal action against the involved officers and criticized what he termed a pattern of targeted killings against members of a particular community. “Such incidents are becoming disturbingly frequent. If the community remains silent, this will only continue,” he said.
The killing has also drawn condemnation from political leaders across party lines. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah termed the incident “unfortunate and regrettable,” urging a transparent and time-bound probe into the use of force. “Use of force by police has to be calibrated and cannot be indiscriminate,” he wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter), offering condolences to the bereaved family.
PDP President Mehbooba Mufti also voiced strong criticism of the police action, questioning the post-facto labelling of the deceased as a drug peddler. “Even if he were one, we live in a democracy where justice is served through rule of law—not through kangaroo courts or extra-judicial means,” she asserted, urging the Director General of Police to order an impartial investigation.
Minister Javed Rana echoed these sentiments, demanding a thorough and fair probe into the circumstances that led to Parvez’s death.
