SRINAGAR: At least eight Jammu and Kashmir policemen including an officer were beaten and injured by army men at a check point and inside police station in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district during the preceding night. Police has registered a case against the army men.
Sources said soldiers of 24 Rashtria Rifles, who were in civvies and travelling in four private vehicles, were returning from Amarnath cave shrine via Baltal route after yatra when they were stopped by policemen near a check point at Gund, Kangan in central Kashmir Ganderbal district during the preceding night.
They said the policemen told them that government has fixed a cut-off timing for Amarnath yatris movement in the Valley and their vehicles cannot be allowed to move beyond the point.
After recent militant attack on Amarnath yatris in south Kashmir, authorities have disallowed movement of yatris and tourists in Kashmir during the night.
Sources said the army men alighted from their vehicles and without disclosing their identity beat the policemen manning the check point. Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of Police identified as Ghulam Rasool was injured in the army men’s beating.
They said as the policemen alerted the cops in nearby Police Station Gund about the incident, an army party led by 24 Rashtria Rifles captain barged into the police station.
“The army men beat the policemen present in the police station and ransacked and damaged the official record there. Besides, belonging of some policemen was also damaged by the irate army personnel,” sources said.
They said at least seven policemen were injured in the army action and all the injured including ASI were taken to hospital for medical check-up.
Later, police registered an FIR against army men for attacking a police station and beating policemen.
A police spokesman while confirming the incident said 30 army men in civvies travelling in four vehicles escaped forcibly from the naka point established by police station Sonmarg at Poney Stand in Gund during intervening night of 21/22-07-2017.
“The police party led by ASI Gh Rasool stopped the four vehicles as per the directions. However the army men personnel, who were in civvies without showing any identification, came down from the vehicles and started thrashing the on duty officer and other personnel, resulting in injuries to ASI on spot. Later, the army men led by a captain-rank officer barged into a police station in the area and beat the policemen,” he said.
He said an FIR No. 18/2017 U/S 147, 148, 307, 323, 332, 353, 427, 120-B RPC has been registered against the army men.
“J&K Director General of Police S P Vaid has taken up the incident with General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Srinagar Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen J S Sandhu,” he said.
Defence spokesman in Srinagar, Colonel Rajesh Kalia said a minor altercation took place last evening between some army personnel returning from Amarnath yatra in civil dress and JKP personnel at Gund.
“No major injuries were suffered in the incident and the matter has been resolved by personal intervention of senior officers,” he said.
Kalia said measures to prevent recurrence have been taken.
Former J&K Chief Minister and opposition National Conference working president Omar Abdullah reacted strongly to the incident.
He said J&K police party was implementing the SOP of not allowing yatri movement after 7.30 pm. “The army chaps were yatris in civvies”.
“Why would the army men beat up J&K police personnel in a police station? This requires immediate clarification and action by the authorities,” Omar said.