CISF today insisted that its personnel enjoy immunity under AFSPA and that it had followed standard operating procedures while dealing with a rampaging crowd in North Kashmir in which a teenager was killed. After conducting an inquiry at the Uri NHPC power plant where CISF personnel fired on a crowd of protestors leaving a boy dead,CISF Director General N R Das briefed Union Home Secretary R K Singh about the incident. Das contended that its personnel enjoyed protection under AFSPA which was in force in the state,official sources said here. A 12th standard student was killed on January two when a mob in Uri tried to rampage NHPC property,guarded by the CISF. The people were protesting against acute power shortage. The death had triggered strong protests. Das also explained to Singh the circumstances and chain of events leading to the unfortunate incident,the sources said. While the state police was a mute spectator at the scene of incident for three hours,CISF personnel had to act only after the mob turned violent and started ransacking the NHPC facility,the sources said. Das is also understood to have told Singh that the CISF personnel would be provided with non-lethal weapons. A CISF Inspector General (IG) led team is already conducting a detailed inquiry into the incident. Five CISF personnel were arrested hours after the incident.
