The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Kupwara Police has lodged an FIR against 16 army personnel including three lieutenant colonels for allegedly entering into a police station on Tuesday night and assaulting on-duty policemen. The incident left four policemen injured.

According to media reports, Kupwara Police have invoked IPC sections relating to rioting, robbery, kidnapping and attempted murder against the soldiers.

The FIR was filed in relation to the incident that took place on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday (28-29 May). According to reports, a Police versus Army battle broke out in the region following the questioning of a Territorial Army jawan by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in connection with an alleged drug case.

Video evidence was provided showing a group of armed and uniformed personnel from the 160 Territorial Army storming the Kupwara police station. The Territorial Army is a military reserve force composed of part-time volunteers who provide support services to the Indian Army.

According to the FIR, the armed group led by lieutenant colonels Ankit Sood, Rajiv Chauhan and Nikhil forcibly entered the premises of the police station, a Mint newspaper report said. They proceeded to launch a brutal assault on police personnel present there, using rifle butts and sticks and kicking them without any provocation, it stated.

The situation escalated further as the army personnel brandished their weapons, seized mobile phones from the injured police officers and even abducted a police constable before fleeing the scene, the FIR stated.

The swift response of senior police officers helped rescue the targeted police personnel and initiate legal action against the perpetrators.

The FIR has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 307 (attempt to murder), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 147 (punishment for rioting).

The accused also face charges under sections 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 392 (punishment for robbery), 397 (robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person).

According to the FIR, they have also been booked under the Arms Act.

The Kupwara deputy superintendent of police is investigating the incident. Officials said that authorities aim to uncover the full extent of the crime and bring the accused individuals to justice.

Srinagar-based defence spokesperson sought to downplay the incident and said the reports of an altercation between police and army personnel and "beating up therein of police personnel are misfounded and incorrect".

PULWAMA — Pulwama's Rajpora Police Station has taken legal action against an individual identified as Sameer Ahmed Paray, who stands accused of spreading false information via social media.

Paray, a resident of Kabikoot CB Nath, allegedly posted a fabricated image on his fake Facebook account under the name "Babar Azam". The image depicted arms and ammunition, accompanied by a claim that a new militant recruit from Pulwama had emerged.

The dissemination of such misleading content on social media platforms has been cited as a disturbance to public peace and tranquillity.

In response, Rajpora Police Station has registered FIR No. 23/2024 under section 505(b) of the IPC, initiating an investigation into the matter.

Authorities urge the general public to refrain from sharing false information on social media platforms.

Strict measures will be taken against individuals found spreading malicious content online, according to Pulwama Police, which reaffirms its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of its citizens.

SRINAGAR — A man from Soiteng locality has been booked for allegedly assaulting an on-duty Power Development Department lineman, an official said here on Friday.

The official told the news agency GNS that Ghulam Mohiuddin Parray, of Soiteng, was booked under relevant sections of law after he allegedly assaulted an on-duty lineman.

"Besides being booked for his unruly act, the (electricity) services of the consumer have also been removed," the official said.

Confirming it, a police official said that they have registered a case vide FIR number 23/2024 under different sections of law for further proceedings.

SRINAGAR — On the basis of a complaint, J&K Police have registered a formal case against BJP's DDC member Ajaz Hussain Rather, who hails from Balhama Srinagar outskirts.

Notably, yesterday, scores of women and male protesters alleged that DDC member from BJP, Ajaz Hussain Rather and his security guards assaulted them. They appealed to Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbagh Singh to withdraw the security of the DDC member as, according to them, Rather is misusing his security and using them as a tool to harass and assault his opponents.

Two locals, namely Nazim Hussain Bhat and Imdad Ali Mir, approached Police Station Panthachowk in Srinagar outskirts, accusing Ajaz Hussain Rather of assault. Taking note of the complaint, police registered an FIR vide number 51/23 under sections 323 and 341 against the accused.

Nazim Hussain confirmed that police have registered an FIR for offenses including wrongful restraint and voluntarily causing hurt against the BJP's DDC member. He alleged that Rather has let loose a reign of terror in Balhama and its adjacent areas by using his security guards to suppress his opponents.

SRINAGAR — Municipal Committee President Pulwama Bilal Ahmad Rather threatened doctors at District Hospital Pulwama following which hospital authorities have written to higher authorities for legal action.

In a video that surfaced on social media and went viral, Rather was seen threatening doctors at the district hospital.

He told the news agency KNO that he feels sorry for using abusive language but said that the full story isn't being shown in the video.

“Some miscreants had made a video behind me and uploaded it with some wrong motive. I went to the hospital to see why USG services weren't available when I saw a patient was being taken to a private diagnostic center for USG in a trolley,” he said.

Rather said that there was an exchange of heated arguments between a doctor who claimed that the USG facility is available at the hospital till 8 PM but the fact is it wasn’t.

“Using abusive language can't be justified. I am sorry because I became emotional when I saw the condition of a patient outside who was being taken to the diagnostic center for USG,” he said, adding, “My sole aim is the welfare of people and I am sorry if I have hurt anyone's sentiments.”

Rather demanded that all facilities must be available at the hospital round the clock so that poor patients won't suffer anymore.

The Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Pulwama said that they have lodged an FIR against the concerned person.

“We have only one radiologist who runs USG, CT scan, and even X-Ray and performs duty 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM on a daily basis as per government directions. If there is any problem at the hospital, the concerned person should have discussed it with us instead of using abusive language,” he said.