FIR against Army over ‘human shield’ video

Tribune News Service & PTI

Srinagar/New Delhi, April 16

The Jammu and Kashmir police have filed an FIR against the Army for tying a man to an armoured vehicle in central Kashmir’s Budgam district allegedly as a “human shield” against protesters who took on security forces over byelections held in the Srinagar parliamentary constituency last week.

This comes as Army Chief General Bipin Rawat today apprised National Security Adviser Ajit Doval of the security situation in Kashmir, amidst growing outrage in the Valley over the video.

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Central Kashmir DIG Ghulam Hassan Bhat told The Tribune that a case against the Army had been registered in Budgam’s Beerwah police station. The Magam Sub-Divisional Police Officer has been designated as the investigating officer.

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After the video went viral this week, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had sought a detailed report from the state police. The video was filmed when polling officers faced a mob of stone-throwers on April 9, when bypolls were held for the Srinagar parliamentary constituency amid large-scale violence. The Army had said it was verifying and investigating the matter.

Rawat’s meeting comes a day after he had separate deliberations with Mehbooba and Governor NN Vohra over the law and order situation.

Sources in the government said the Army chief called on Doval at his residence and briefed him about the overall state of security in the Kashmir Valley.

In her meeting with Gen Rawat, Mehbooba had raised the issue of the video. Gen Rawat assured her of timely action against the personnel responsible for tying the man to the vehicle. Army officials told a probe team that they had received a call from the ITBP and the police guarding a polling station to save them from a mob that was out to lynch them. The Army convoy rushed in and tied the 36-year-old man to a jeep, they said.