SRINAGAR: The Army on Friday ordered an inquiry after a University professor accused the soldiers of assaulting him during checking of vehicles in a village in the border district of Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir.
Dr Liyaqat Ali, an Assistant Professor at IGNOU in Delhi, stated that the four of them travelling in a vehicle were attacked by army personnel near the border village Laam in Nowshera, Rajouri district on Thursday.
“When they stopped our vehicle, we showed them our identity cards and I told them that I was an assistant professor. Without any reason or provocation, they beat us. I was hit in the head by the gunbutts causing head injuries,” he said.
The video of Dr Liyaqat bleeding from his head while recounting the incident has gone viral on social media.
According to Liyaqat, the incident took place when he along with his relatives were returning to their place in Kalakote after attending a pre-wedding ceremony of one of their relatives.
An army man and an ITBP, who accompanied the professor, were also beaten by the army men.
Reacting to the allegations, Jammu-based defence spokesman said an incident has come to light wherein certain individuals were allegedly manhandled by Army men in Rajouri district.
“The Army had input on the likely movement of terrorists in a vehicle in this sensitive area. Accordingly, search operations were being conducted. Preliminary information suggests that the individual tried to snatch weapon from the soldiers on duty and initiated a scuffle with them,” the spokesman said. He said an inquiry has been initiated and if any personnel are found guilty of misconduct, strict action will be taken.
An army man and an ITBP were also thrashed
According to Dr Liyaqat Ali, an Assistant Professor at IGNOU in Delhi, the incident took place when he alongwith his relatives were returning to their place in Kalakote after attending a pre-wedding ceremony of one of their relatives. An army man and an ITBP, who accompanied the professor, were also allegedly beaten up by the army men.