Sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Duroo, Ghulam Rasool Wani, alleged that army men thrashed him along with four other officials and damaged his official vehicle near Ujroo area of Qazigund along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, when they were on way to attend an election related meeting.
According to SDM he was on his way to Vesu to attend anelection-related meeting with deputy commissioner Anantnag when army men”suddenly went berserk and even seized the poll material from us.”
“I received a call from the DC early in the morning askingme to attend the meeting at Vesu in Qazigund. The SDM Dooru- JK Governmentsignboard was clearly visible as such we were allowed to proceed by the armyeven as the civilian traffic was halted to allow passage to army convoy.However, as we reached Dalwach crossing we were signalled to stop to which weobliged. We put our vehicle behind one army vehicle and were waiting for thesignal to go,” the SDM said.
He, however, alleged that soon some army men in blackfatigues pounced on his driver and beat him up mercilessly without any reason.
“Later, while pointing the guns towards us they dragged myemployees and started thrashing them. When I argued with them why they weredoing so, they caught hold of my collar, dragged me out and hit me,” the SDMalleged.
He alleged that the army men hurled choicest abused on them.
“As I was about to call the DC Anantnag, the army mensnatched my phone and broke it into pieces. So, did they damage the phone of mydriver,” he said.
The SDM alleged that the army men also damaged his vehicleand even took way the poll related material and “kept us hostage”.
“We were let go only after the DC Anantnag reached the spotand managed to free us from them,” he said.
Meanwhile, the office of the SDM Dooru has filed a writtencomplaint with the SHO Qazigund demanding action against the erring army men.
“It is requested that FIR be lodged against the securitypersonnel under the relevant provisions of law for manhandling, intimidatingand resorting to violence against the undersigned and my officials andobstructing us from performing our official duties including that of electionduties,” the application read.
The copy of the application has also been forwarded to ChiefElectoral Officer, JK, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, DIG (South Kashmirrange), DC Anantnag and SSP Kulgam.
The area where the incident happened comes under revenuedistrict Anantnag and police jurisdiction Kulgam.
Police, the SDM said “have not yet lodged FIR against thearmy”.
Army’s Srinagar based defence spokesperson, when contacted,said that army “is ascertaining the details”.
“We are looking into the incident,” Colonel Rajesh Kaliatold Greater Kashmir.