Jammu, Mar 17, KNT: A controversy has erupted in Kulgam after a video surfaced on social media, allegedly showing a police officer misbehaving with the public. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, prompted the authorities to inquire into the officer’s conduct.
Taking cognizance of the matter, Kulgam Police stated that the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of South Kashmir Range (SKR) will probe the allegations and submit a report within ten days. The development comes amid widespread outrage over the police’s handling of protests following the deaths of two tribal youth in Kulgam.
The issue snowballed into a major controversy on Monday when the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed heated exchanges over police action against demonstrators. As soon as the Question Hour commenced, Surankote MLA Choudhary Muhammad Akram raised the matter, demanding strict action against the police personnel allegedly involved in assaulting a protesting woman.
“This is a grave issue. A police officer was seen kicking a woman protester. Such brutality must be condemned by the House,” Akram asserted, urging immediate action.
His concerns found support across party lines, as legislators from the National Conference, Congress, and the People’s Democratic Party joined in, demanding accountability.
Senior NC leader Nazir Gurezi questioned the state of policing in Jammu and Kashmir. “Is this a police state? Can the police shoot, arrest, and assault anyone at will? Is there no law governing them?” he asked.
The uproar intensified as NC legislators Javed Choudhary, Mian Mehar Ali, Javaid Mirchal, and Zaffar Ali Khatan attempted to storm the well of the House, but were stopped by marshals.
Amid the chaos, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened and announced that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had assured the agitated legislators that the matter would be addressed.
The outrage stems from the deaths of two tribal youth, whose bodies were discovered in Kulgam after they had gone missing on February 13. Out of three missing nomads, the dead bodies of two youth have been recovered so far. [KNT]
