Srinagar, Apr 18: The Army on Friday ordered an inquiry after a university professor alongwith ITBP personnel alleged that they were assaulted by Army troops during a vehicle check in Laam village of Rajouri district of Jammu region.
Assistant Professor Dr Liaqat Ali, sustained head injuries in the alleged assault by 58 RR with rifle butt in Laam area of Nowshera in Rajouri on late Thursday night. A video purportedly showing the professor bleeding from the head has since surfaced on social media and was widely circulated.
He along with his family were seen requesting the Army officers to investigate the incident and do justice in the case. The Army officer assured the family that the matter will be investigated and the guilty will be punished.
PRO & Army Spokesperson, Jammu, Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said that an incident has come to light wherein certain individuals were allegedly manhandled by Army personnel in Rajauri district.
“The Army had input on the movement of terrorists in a vehicle in this sensitive area. Accordingly, search operations were being conducted. Preliminary information suggests that on being stopped, the individual tried to snatch weapons of the soldiers on duty and initiated a scuffle with them,” he said.
He said an inquiry has been initiated. If any personnel will be found guilty of misconduct, strict action will be taken in accordance with the existing law.
“The Indian Army remains steadfast in upholding the highest standards of professionalism and discipline in the conduct of counter terror operations. All sections of the society are requested to continue to cooperate and collaborate with the Indian Army for collective and comprehensive security in this sensitive area,” he added.
Earlier the alleged incident occurred when Assistant Professor Liaqat Ali, currently posted with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in New Delhi, was returning to Kalakote with relatives after attending a pre-wedding ceremony. He was accompanied by Riaz Ahmad, Anayat Ahmad Choudhary and other relatives when their vehicle was stopped for checking by personnel of the 58 Rashtriya Rifles (RR).
“We cooperated with the Army troops, even some of us are even serving in the Army and ITBP.Even provided our identity cards, and respectfully explained our background. Is this not a democratic country? Are we not allowed to move freely at night? Is the area under any restriction?”,” relatives said.
In a post on Facebook, Dr Ali claimed he was assaulted without provocation.
“My entire family is in the Indian Army. I have always been proud of that—the uniform, the service, the sacrifice. But what I experienced last night shook that pride to the core,” he wrote, sharing a photo showing his injuries.
“Without any question or reason, I was hit on the head with a weapon by the very people I once trusted blindly. It made me realise a terrifying truth: if the system chooses to, it can ‘encounter’ any human being without evidence, without trial, without justice. There’s no apology that can undo this wound. Only one haunting question remains—has justice now become the privilege of the uniform alone?” he said in a social media post.
