The public relations officer (PRO) of Jammu and Kashmir’s Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu was accused of thrashing a forest officer on duty on Friday.
However, the People’s Democratic Party on Saturday claimed that “the officer was trying to resolve a local issue”.
According to the protesting employees of the Forest Department, forester Muhammad Kabir Maliyar was assaulted by the PRO, Junaid Rashid, during an anti-encroachment drive being carried out by the department in Pulwama on Friday.
Under the drive, encroached forest land was being demarcated in the Sangarwani forest area when the incident allegedly took place.
The forester alleged that the PRO had not only slapped him several times but also threatened him with dire consequences.
He said the PRO’s act triggered vandalism by locals who destroyed the equipment of the forest department. However, Mr.Rashid claimed he visited the area after “locals alleged that excesses had been committed against their women”.
He said he had asked the forest employees to stop the work as the Pulwama District Commissioner and the District Forest Officer were scheduled to assess the ground reality.
“Whatever the claims of the forest employee are, there is no truth in it as I have not even talked to him,” he said.
PDP youth president Waheed ur Rehman Para claimed that there was a degree of exaggeration in the incident. “The PRO had gone to the spot to resolve the issue between people and forest employees. However, no one was thrashed,” said Mr.Para.
