Indian Army troops storm police station, beat officials in Kishtwar
Srinagar: Indian Army personnel stormed a police station in Kishtwar district of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, beat police officials and damaged property, exposing growing tensions between the occupation forces operating in the territory.
According to Kashmir Media Service, around 30 to 40 personnel of the 17 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) broke into Police Station Atholi on June 24 and carried out a rampage inside the premises. The personnel, armed with lathis, iron rods and firearms, assaulted police officials, including senior officers, and vandalized property.
Police said several officials, including Station House Officer (SHO), SDPO Atholi Vijay Kumar Bhagat and SPO Suresh Kumar, sustained injuries in the incident. Official vehicles belonging to the ARTO, SHO and SDPO, as well as the main gate of the police station, were also damaged.
The incident has raised concern as it involved personnel of two Indian security institutions clashing with each other in the occupied territory.
Reacting to the development, Defence PRO Jammu Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said the matter was being examined through appropriate institutional mechanisms.
Meanwhile, Police have registered an FIR against several Indian Army personnel, including Major Vikas Sharma, Naib Subedar Shanker Gurkhe, GD Raj Kumar, Sepoy Rahul Kumar, Sepoy Anoop Singh and Sepoy Omkar Ingale. The case has been registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, including charges related to attempt to murder, rioting, unlawful assembly, assault on public servants, criminal intimidation and vandalism. Police said the identities of the remaining personnel involved would be established during the investigation.
