Javed Rana Blames ‘Dual Power System’ for Gujjar Youth’s Killing, Demands Judicial Probe
Jammu, July 26: Jammu and Kashmir minister Javed Ahmad Rana has strongly condemned the recent killing of a 21-year-old Gujjar youth, Parvez Ahmad, in police firing, attributing the tragic incident to the “dual power structure” currently prevailing in the Union Territory. Referring to the administrative overlap between the Lieutenant Governor-led system and the elected representatives of the National Conference, Rana asserted that such duality in governance has created confusion, weakened institutional accountability, and emboldened some officers to act with impunity.
During his visit to the victim’s residence in the Nikki Tawi area of Jammu, where Parvez Ahmad belonged, Rana expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family on behalf of the government. The young man was allegedly killed in crossfire during a police chase targeting drug peddlers in the Satwari area on Thursday, an operation that has since sparked serious public outrage and accusations of a staged encounter by the aggrieved family and members of the Gujjar community.
Calling the incident a “brutal act of barbarism,” Rana demanded an immediate judicial inquiry into the matter, stating that only an independent and credible probe can ensure justice. Although a magisterial investigation has been initiated, and two police personnel have been suspended with an internal inquiry underway under the supervision of the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Jammu South, Rana emphasized that these measures are not sufficient.
“The incident exposes how a section of the police, under the garb of counter-narcotics operations, is targeting members of a particular community and using the cover of governance chaos to commit such heinous acts,” Rana said. He argued that the existing governance arrangement in Jammu and Kashmir, where the Lieutenant Governor holds overriding powers, is proving detrimental to democratic accountability and public trust. “The absence of community representation in senior administrative positions is a dangerous deviation from past practices where inclusivity ensured balance and responsiveness in governance,” he added.
Rana also asserted that the National Conference, under Omar Abdullah’s leadership, would never have tolerated such an incident and assured the victim’s family that justice will be pursued relentlessly. He urged the authorities to amend the FIR registered in the case to reflect the role of the erring officers and supervisors who oversaw the controversial operation. According to Rana, even the police have acknowledged that an innocent life was lost, which necessitates a transparent and just course of action.
Accusing certain officials of exploiting the “dual power system” to conceal their failures, particularly in addressing the drug menace, Rana appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to restore administrative balance and ensure that officers from diverse communities are positioned at the helm of governance.
Reiterating the National Conference’s longstanding demand, Rana called upon the central government to immediately restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and honour the people’s mandate by empowering the elected government. “Restoring statehood and full administrative authority to an elected government is not just a political necessity—it is fundamental to safeguarding lives, ensuring justice, and reestablishing the faith of the people in democratic institutions,” he said.
