The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Jammu and Kashmir unit on Saturday sought high-level investigation into the killings of two civilians outside an army camp in Rajouri.

“I spoke to Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha,” said Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina. “It is very important to hold a very high level inquiry into this incident.”

Kamal Kishore and Surinder Kumar – both residents of Phalayana village of Rajouri – were killed on Friday and another person was injured in the incident.

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Soon after the attack, the White Knight Corps of the Army had held that “unidentified terrorists” were responsible for the firing. However, protesting residents claimed that the Army had opened fire. Earlier, unidentified officials had also told PTI that an Army sentry fired at civilians when a group of residents were approaching the gate of the camp for work around 6.15 am.

On Saturday, Raina said that he spoke to Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, who has agreed to hold an investigation into the case.

“There should be a transparent inquiry just the way investigation of the killing of three innocent youth from Rajouri in Shopian was held and an action was taken against the Army men,” Raina said. “I am hopeful that the Army will show all sincerity and transparency while investigating the case.”

In July 2020, security forces had killed three persons in Amshipora area of Shopian on the suspicion of being militants. However, the families of the three persons had said that they were labourers and not militants. On September 18, 2020, the Army had said that it has found prima facie evidence that its personnel misused powers under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1990, in the episode.

Meanwhile, Sinha said on Saturday that the incident in Rajouri is “very unfortunate” while announcing an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased. Though, he added, “The price of a life cannot be set in monetary terms.”