Army personnel booked for allegedly storming police station, assaulting officials in J&K's Kishtwar

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered a case against several Army men from 17 Rashtriya Rifles posted in Kishtwar district for allegedly barging into a police station and assaulting officials. Those named in the FIR include a colonel and a major.

The Army said it is offering full cooperation in the legal process and will take appropriate actions based on the outcome of a joint investigation. The police said FIR should not be blown out of proportion.

According to FIR, a group of 30-40 army men, including Major Vikash Sharma and Naib Subedar Shankar Gurkhe, barged into the police station on Wednesday afternoon and assaulted police personnel as well as government officials. It also names Colonel N Arun Gandhi, the commanding officer of the unit, saying that the men were acting under his directions though he was not personally present at the spot.

The case has been registered at the Atholi police station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including attempt to murder, wrongful restraint, rioting and damage to public property.

The incident occurred after the police seized a private vehicle owned by an Army personnel member allegedly for traffic violation, police officials said.

According to FIR, the group of men climbed the walls of the police station and barged inside the building. They allegedly tore the uniform of station house officer Amrit Kotach, thrashed a senior district administration official and assaulted the assistant regional transport officer of Kishtwar and his personal security officers who were present inside the police station.

"They (attackers) were armed with lathis, iron rods and other weapons," the SHO was quoted as saying in FIR.

"The attackers also caused extensive damage to government and public property, vandalising the official vehicle of ARTO, vehicles of SDPO and SHO, and breaking down the main gate of the police station," reads FIR.

"There is absolute synergy between the forces. We don't need to blow this incident out of proportion. Kishtwar is peaceful and the forces are working in complete coordination," said Sargun Shukla, DIG, Doda Kishtwar Ramban Range.

The defence spokesperson of the Jammu based White Knight Corps said the matter is under examination through the appropriate institutional mechanisms. "Indian Army will extend full cooperation in the legal process. Appropriate actions will be taken based on the outcome of the joint investigation. At this stage it would be premature to comment further while the investigations are in progress," he said.