A major controversy has erupted in the Kishtwar district after Jammu and Kashmir Police registered an FIR against 40 Army personnel, including the Commanding Officer of the 17 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and a Major, over allegations of assaulting police personnel and damaging property at Police Station Atholi in the remote Paddar area, officials said on Thursday.
The incident reportedly followed the seizure of an Army officer’s vehicle by a police team for an alleged traffic violation.
The Army’s version of the incident is awaited. However, a senior Army officer said the matter is under examination through the appropriate institutional mechanism and assured that appropriate action will be taken based on the joint investigation.
The FIR registered at Atholi police station stated that the incident occurred on Wednesday when the Station House Officer (SHO), Inspector Amrit Kotach, was away for a meeting at the Paddar Block Development Officer’s office, chaired by the Deputy Commissioner.
In his complaint, Kotach stated that he received a call informing him about the “criminal conspiracy” and the violent assault that took place within the police station premises, allegedly under the direct instructions of Commanding Officer, 17 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), N Arun Gandhi.
According to the FIR, around 30 to 40 personnel from 17 RR, Camp Kijayee, led by Major Vikas Sharma and Naib Subedar Shankar Gurkhe, launched a “pre-planned” attack after scaling the police station’s main gate and boundary wall. They were armed with lathis, iron rods and other weapons, the SHO said.
According to the FIR, the Army personnel allegedly tore the SHO’s uniform and also assaulted Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Vijay Kumar Bhagat, who had also reached the spot.
“The accused Army personnel, acting with a common criminal intention, also brutally assaulted the deployed policemen,” the SHO said, adding that Special Police Officer Suresh Kumar was struck on the neck with the butt of a service rifle, resulting in serious injuries to him.
He said several other police personnel on duty also sustained injuries during this “unprovoked assault”.
The FIR stated that the Army personnel also assaulted the assistant regional transport officer (ARTO) of Kishtwar and his personal security officers inside the police station.
The attackers also caused extensive damage to government and public property, vandalising the official vehicle of the ARTO, vehicles of the SDPO and the SHO, and breaking down the police station’s main gate, the FIR said.
It said the acts of the accused persons disclose the commission of cognizable offences punishable under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including unlawful assembly, rioting, house-trespass/criminal trespass, voluntarily causing hurt and grievous hurt, assault on public servants while discharging official duties, attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, mischief causing damage to government property and other allied offences, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
The FIR names Colonel Gandhi, Major Sharma, Naib Subedar Gurkhe, Sepoys Raj Kumar, Rahul Kumar, Anoop Singh and Omkar Ingale, and unidentified Army personnel of the 17 RR camp as accused.