Jammu, March 5: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah broke down in the state assembly Tuesday while describing the death of a youth in army firing in Baramulla district in north Kashmir earlier in the day.
"The opposition has walked out of the House, but I cannot do that as I am chief minister. But please tell me how many times I will seek forgiveness and promise the families of the dead that I will get justice done for them," he said, after losing his composure, while replying to the motion of thanks on the governor's address.
Noting the circumstances in which the firing took place in Baramulla, he said: "I don't know why the bullets were fired on a small procession."
"There were many big processions in the aftermath of the execution of (parliament attack convict) Afzal Guru, but there was no firing," he said.
"I am not a mad person that I am seeking withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act," the chief minister added.
According to police, Tahir Lateef Sofi, 29, was killed in firing by security personnel at Chatipadshahi Bridge in Baramulla town when protestors, demanding the return of Afzal Guru's body, pelted stones at some army vehicles passing on the road.
