Senior officials of the central police forces deployed in Jammu and Kashmir say the video clip that went viral last week of a young man tied to the front of an Army vehicle to deter stone throwers in Budgam district of Kashmir “will haunt the security forces for the next 20 years”.
They urged the Army to take action against its personnel to contain the damage.
The Chief of the Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat, on Sunday apprised National Security Adviser Ajit Doval of the situation in the Valley after the video went viral. The meeting comes a day after he had separate deliberations with J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Governor N.N. Vohra. Ms. Mufti had raised the issue of the video at the meeting and she was allegedly assured of timely action against the personnel responsible.
The Army does not participate in law and order duties in the State and it is the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the J&K police, which primarily contribute in day-to-day law enforcement activities.
“The video is certainly not helping our cause. The Army should take action against the personnel who indulged in the act. Army says the man tied to the vehicle was one of the stone throwers — they should formally investigate but so far we have not heard anything from them,” said a central intelligence official posted in the valley.
Another official with a central armed police force said his men would have to face the brunt of the reaction as the Army did not participate in patrolling and other law and order duties.
Major damage
“The Army is confined to their camps when not participating in operations, but we have to interact with the public on a daily basis. The video has undone whatever outreach we managed in the past. We criticise the Naxals for using villagers as human shields during encounters with security forces — how are we different then?” said the official.
The 19-second video was shot in the Chadoora Assembly segment during the Srinagar byelectionsdriving through village streets. A voice, apparently that of an Army personnel, can be heard on the Jeep’s public address system saying, “Paththar bazon ka yeh haal hoga (this will be the condition of stone-throwers).”
Army had earlier said that the contingent had gone to rescue a polling team comprising ITBP officials, which had been gheraoed by protestors. The army convoy rushed in from Kandipura and tied 36- year-old Farooq Dar to a jeep,
An official said that on the particular day, many teams of CRPF, BSF and J&K police were stuck at various polling booths and it was not clear who asked the army contingent for help.
“There is a growing sentiment among the locals that if action was initiated against the Kashmiri boys who kicked and punched CRPF men returning from polling duty, then why is no action taken against the Army personnel involved in parading the Kashmiri man tied to a jeep,” said the central intelligence official.
A report on the incident has been sent to the Home Ministry.
