POONCH, JUNE 3:  Hundreds of villagers today staged a massive protest in Panchayat Dungan (Barashari) of tehsil Mandi after a group of four army personnel allegedly misbehaved with local women.  Taking cognizance, local police detained the accused and started investigation.
 Sources said as the word about the incident spread in the area hundreds of villagers took to streets and staged a massive dharna near Mandir Chowk of tehsil Mandi for more than two hours. The protesters were shouting slogans against the army   and demanding strict action against the   personnel who had allegedly misbehaved with the women.
 Peoples Democratic Party district organizing secretary Riaz Aatish informed Greater Kashmir that four soldiers of 25 Rashtriya Rifles this morning barged into a house and misbehaved with the inmates, including women.
 “Today morning four soldiers barged into the house of one villager and started clicking photographs of women and girls present inside the house. They also misbehaved and abused them, which angered the villagers” he said, adding that hundreds of villagers took to streets against the misconduct of army personnel.
 Sources said the protestors stopped the   vehicle in which the army personnel  had come to village following which the local police intervened    and brought the  soldiers to police station .
 Locals also came inside the police station and demanded filing of a case against the erring    army soldiers. They said that soldiers are time and again harassing the villagers on the name of security check. The protesters urged the government to direct army to stop harassing the villagers otherwise they would intensify their agitation.
 When contacted, Sub Inspector Abdul Rehman, who is investigating the matter,  said that police have brought all the four soldiers to police station. “We have also informed the Commanding Officer of 25 RR and the villagers” he said, adding that they were investigating the matter and action would be taken if soldiers are found guilty.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 3 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
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