J-K police order probe in fracas involving Army officer at Srinagar hotel

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 23

The Jammu and Kashmir police have ordered an inquiry into a fracas involving an Army officer and staffers at a Srinagar hotel on Wednesday. 

Hotel staffers said Major Leetul Gogoi had booked a room online for two guests in the morning. At about 10.30 am, the officer arrived at the hotel reception for checking in along with a female guest. 

Sources claimed that when the hotel staff insisted on the identification of the second guest, there was an argument between the officer and the staff.

The driver of the officer on hearing the argument also walked into the hotel which led to a fracas between them and the hotel staff. Due to the commotion that followed people from adjoining commercial complex also arrived.

A police press release issued stated that Khanyar police station received a call from a city hotel that an altercation has taken place at the hotel. "Accordingly, a police party was deputed to the hotel, and it surfaced that a one woman (name withheld) and a person, namely Sameer Ahmed of Budgam had come to see some person. But the hotel reception did not allow them to meet the person. Meanwhile, police party reached the spot and got all the persons to the police station. Subsequently, it was learnt the woman had come to meet an army officer." 

Officials were handed over to their unit after duly recording their statements. The statement of woman is also being recorded for probing the matter, the release added.

Major Gogoi had courted controversy in 2017 when he tied a local to the bonnet of his vehicle in Badgam district during a stone-pelting incident.