KISHTWAR, JAMMU AND KASHMIR: A commanding officer of the Indian Army, a major, and nearly 40 personnel have been booked after they stormed a police station, assaulted police personnel, and vandalised government property in Kishtwar district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on Wednesday, according to police officials.
The incident unfolded on Wednesday following the temporary seizure of a private vehicle linked to an Army official over traffic violations. According to police officials, the vehicle was intercepted after its driver was involved in an altercation with the driver of the Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner’s pilot vehicle while the official convoy was en route to a government function.
Police said the vehicle was later released, but tensions escalated when a group of Army personnel arrived at Atholi Police Station and launched an attack.
An FIR lodged by Station House Officer (SHO) Inspector Amrit Kotach states that around 30 to 40 personnel from the 17 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), acting under the instructions of Commanding Officer Colonel N Arun Gandhi and led by Major Vikash Sharma and Naib Subedar Shankar Gurkhe, forcefully entered the police station after climbing over its main gate and boundary wall.
The complaint states that the group was armed with lathis, iron rods and other weapons and carried out a pre-planned assault with the intention of causing serious harm to police personnel.
Inspector Kotach, who was attending an official meeting when the incident began, stated that he was physically assaulted severally after returning to the police station and that his uniform was torn during the confrontation. The FIR also states that Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Vijay Kumar Bhagat was also assaulted, while several other officers sustained injuries.
According to the complaint, a Special Police Officer suffered serious neck injuries after being struck with the butt of a service rifle. The FIR further states that the Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) of Kishtwar and his personal security officers were also attacked inside the police station.
Police have additionally accused the Army personnel of damaging government property, including official vehicles belonging to the SHO, the SDPO and the ARTO, as well as the main gate of the police station.
The case has been registered under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges relating to unlawful assembly, rioting, criminal trespass, voluntarily causing hurt and grievous hurt, assault on public servants, attempt to murder, criminal intimidation and destruction of public property. Relevant provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act have also been invoked.
The FIR names Colonel N Arun Gandhi, Major Vikash Sharma, Naib Subedar Shankar Gurkhe, Sepoys Raj Kumar, Rahul Kumar, Anoop Singh and Omkar Ingale, along with several unidentified Army personnel, as accused.
Responding to the allegations, Jammu-based Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Suneel Bartwal said the matter is being examined through the appropriate institutional mechanisms. He said the Army would fully cooperate with the legal process and that any action would be taken based on the findings of the joint investigation. The Army added that it would be inappropriate to comment further while the inquiry remains ongoing.
