Jammu, April 18 -- The Indian Army has ordered an inquiry after an assistant professor from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Liyaqat Ali, was allegedly assaulted by army personnel in Jammu's Rajouri district. The incident occurred on Thursday night when Ali was en route to his sister's wedding in Lam village of the Nowshera sector.
According to eyewitnesses, a cavalcade comprising two private cars and two mini-trucks carrying the bride's belongings was allegedly stopped by soldiers around 10 pm. Abdul Khaliq, a relative of the bride, said that the soldiers demanded identification. When Ali identified himself as a professor from Delhi, the soldiers allegedly turned violent. "They beat him mercilessly. He needed seven sutures on his head," Khaliq said.
A video posted by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on social media shows Ali and others bleeding and accusing army personnel of using rifles to hit them. "What they are doing is wrong, given that we also work in the armed forces," one of the victims can be heard saying. Two of the men in the group reportedly serve in the Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. The Station House Officer of Nowshera Police Station confirmed that a case has been registered but declined to reveal the FIR's details or whether army personnel have been named. Senior Superintendent of Police Rajouri, Gourav Sikarwar, was unavailable for comment.
The Indian Army, in a statement, said the area was under active search operations based on inputs of terrorist movement. "Preliminary information suggests that the individual tried to snatch a weapon and initiated a scuffle. An enquiry has been initiated. If any misconduct is established, strict action will be taken," the statement read.
Mufti condemned the incident, calling it "shocking" and urged the Army to take swift action against the
perpetrators.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.