Srinagar | Hundreds of people staged massive protests outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Bandipora after army beat to pulp five persons including a woman at Chuntmullah village in north Kashmir.
The protesters alleged that a woman and her son were among at least five persons beaten by army’s 14 RR during cordon in the village. They said that the woman has severe injury marks and is being treated at a hospital in Bandipora. The protesters demanded strict action against forces who committed what they said a “shameful act”.
Police sources said that army had launched a cordon and search operation at Zabn Gujjar Basti in Chuntmullah village and started detaining some people in the area.
However, the locals objected to the detentions following which army allegedly beat them, they said. “The locals were claiming that the detainees were innocents,” sources said. During the process they also beat up a woman, resulting in multiple injuries to her, the sources further said.
Soon after the news about beating of the woman spread in the area, people took to streets and marched towards Deputy Commissioner’s office and demand strict action against army.
Meanwhile, police resorted to teargas shelling on protesters in Bandipora Town while people downed shutters of their shops and other commercial establishments. The situation in entire Town was tense when reports last came in.
They said that ever since the killing of SI Altaf Khan in October last month, the army “continuous to harass” them. “Today they crossed all limits and beat up a woman. This is unacceptable,” the protesters said and demanded strict action against those involved in the act.
A senior police officer meanwhile confirmed the incident and said that investigation has been launched into the matter.
He assured that whosoever involved in the beating of people will not be spared.
Army Srinagar based defence ministry official said that army and SOG had launched joint operation and “picked up some suspects in the area”.
“There were violent clashes after the suspected persons were picked up and police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the crowd. Army doesn’t resort to laticharge,” he said, adding police later released all the suspected persons. (GNS)