Use of human shield: JK police registers case against unnamed army personnel

Jammu and Kashmir police have registered an FIR against unnamed army personnel for tying a civilian to a jeep as a human shield against stone-pelters on April 13, the video of which sparked outrage across the Valley.

The FIR No 38/17 has been registered at police station Beerwah in Budgam and the investigation of the case has been handed over to a Dy SP level officer, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti revealed on her facebook page.

The FIR has been registered under sections 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 367 (kidnapping or abducting in order to subject person to grievous hurt) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC).

The action comes two days after Mehbooba asked the police to submit a detailed report about the incident to her “so that necessary action is initiated.” Pertinently, the youth tied to an Army jeep was identified as Farooq Ahmad Dar of Chill Bras area in Khansahib segment of Budgam district. Incidentally, he was one among a minuscule few Kashmiris who had voted despite the election boycott call by separatists.

The incident reportedly happened on April 13 when re-polling was held in 38 polling stations in Budgam district of Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. The video had triggered large-scale anger from all quarters including some senior army officers.

Lt General (Rtd) Harcharanjit Singh Panag, former General Officer Commanding-in-chief, Northern Command had said the image of tying a youth to an Army jeep would haunt his force and the nation for a long time.

“Image of a ‘stone pelter’ tied in front of a jeep as a ‘human shield’, will 4 (for) ever haunt the Indian Army & the nation,” Lt Gen H S Panag wrote on the twitter. “When the state starts looking like a mirror image of the terrorists, it spells ominous portents!”

On Sunday, Police had also registered a murder case against Border Security Force (BSF) personnel for killing a youth at the Batamaloo area of Srinagar on Saturday evening. The FIR was registered against the BSF men involved in the killing of 23-year-old Sajad Hussain Sheikh.