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| Allegations of sexual assault against army Jawans an gry protests of sexual bandpora for secoond consecutive day | | |
Srinagar, June 27
Protests continued for the second consecutive day in hilly Bandipora town of North Kashmir where two troopers of 57 Rashtriya Rifles were paraded half naked for five kilometers after they were allegedly caught trying to rape a seventeen year old girl on June 26. Meanwhile, a court of enquiry has been initiated by the army against the two 'erring' troopers, now in custody of Jammu and Kashmir Police that rescued them from the clutches of the mob late last evening and registered an FIR against the duo.
Tension prevailed in the entire Bandipora area as shops and commercial establishments remained closed while angry protesters took to streets shouting slogans against the Security Forces and in favour of Independence. GOC 15 Corps, Major General A S Sekhon, meanwhile, said that a thorough enquiry shall be conducted to find the truth.
The incident has been condemned by all political parties across the board. Separatist as well as mainstream leaders have sharply reacted to the situation claiming that people took law into their hands because the Armed Forces Special Powers Act was being put to the worst use.
The incident occurred Tuesday afternoon when two troopers, Balwant Singh and Joginder Singh of 57 Rashtriya Rifles, entered the house of one Mohammad Rafiq Khan in village Kunan, five Kilometers from Bandipora, seeking shelter for the night while posing as militants. While the duo's attempt to find a place in the house was resisted, the two ruthlessly beat Khan's wife and his daughter. The troopers, dressed in civvies and carrying no arms, later tried to molest the girl after forcing Khan's wife out of the room.
"They asked my mother to leave and tried to rape me," the girl was reported as saying. "The Army men tore off my clothes and beat me but I cried loudly," the girl added. As the alarm attracted the neighbours, the girl was saved and the two were caught by the mob that later shaved off their heads and paraded them half naked all the way to Bandipora, the district headquarter.
It took police hours of struggle to rescue the two troopers from the clutches of the mob. Police fired several rounds bullets besides resorting to baton charge to rescue the two. Police later filed an FIR against the two troopers, who are still in police custody, for trespassing and attempting to rape the girl.
While army had on Tuesday denied any such allegations and the GOC 15 Corps, Maj Gen A S Sekhon, had gone on to say that "the were on routine intelligence gathering", the GOC today said that a fair enquiry shall be conducted into the incident.
"Army has already ordered a court of inquiry. I would like to assure that it will be a very thorough inquiry... it will absolutely be impartial. In case somebody has done a mistake. army will would not condone this mistake", Gen Sekhon said adding that in case the troopers are proven guilty, disciplinary action shall be taken against them.
However, the case can enter an interesting phase where army shall ask for the custody of the two troopers and ask police to drop their charges claiming that an internal enquiry had been in initiated. Police for the time being is continuing with its enquiry.
Deputy Inspector General of Police North Kashmir range, B Sirinivas, said that that both the officials have been booked for trespass and attempt to rape and are presently in police lock up. "We will take the investigation till logical conclusion so that people are satisfied" he said adding that there was no question of handing them over to army. "They are with us till police remand then they will be on judicial remand and case will be challenged in the court of law", he said. Dr Sirinivas said that situation in Bandipore was well under control.
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