Army Orders Probe Into Troops Assaulting University Professor In J&K's Rajouri

SRINAGAR: The Indian Army has ordered an inquiry after a university professor alleged that he was assaulted by a group of soldiers in a village of frontier Rajouri district late Thursday evening. He said that he was attacked when he and some of his relatives were returning to their native place Kalakote after attending a pre-wedding ceremony of one of their relatives.

Dr. Liaqat Ali, an assistant professor at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in New Delhi said that he was hit on the head with a weapon by the soldiers without any provocation at a checkpoint in the Laam village of Rajouri, resulting in injuries to him. A purported video showing him bleeding surfaced online and soon went viral.

In a Facebook post, Mr. Ali said, “My entire family is in the Indian Army. I’ve always been proud of that. Proud of the uniform, the service, the sacrifice. But today, what I experienced shook that pride to the core. Without any reason, without any question, I was assaulted — hit on the head with a weapon by the very people I once trusted blindly”.

He added that the incident made him realize a “terrifying truth”. Elaborating, he said, “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?”

However, the Army claimed that the university professor had tried to snatch weapons of the soldiers on duty and initiated a scuffle with them. In a statement issued in Jammu, the Army said, “An incident has come to light wherein certain individuals were allegedly manhandled by Army personnel in Rajouri district. The Army had input on the likely movement of terrorists in a vehicle in this sensitive area. Accordingly, search operations were being conducted.”

It added, “Preliminary information suggests that on being stopped, the individual tried to snatch weapons of the soldiers on duty and initiated a scuffle with them. However, an inquiry has been initiated. Should any personnel be found guilty of misconduct, strict action will be taken in accordance with the existing law”.

The Army further stated that it 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,” the statement said.