A police officer of the rank of deputy superintendent of police (DSP) kicked female protesters in South Kashmir’s Kulgham district who were agitating against the missing and subsequent mysterious deaths of three young men, including two Gujjar brothers that occurred a month ago.
A video of the instance has emerged on social media platforms where the DSP is seen kicking a protesting woman. The video’s virality has prompted Kashmir zone police to launch an enquiry against the police officer on Monday, March 17.
“A video has surfaced on social media regarding a police officer’s conduct with the public in Kulgam. We have taken cognisance of yesterday’s incident and the allegations regarding the officer’s conduct. DIG SKR will enquire and submit his findings within 10 days,” said the official X handle of the Kashmir police zone.
South Kashmir has been facing intense protest against the mysterious deaths of three men – Riyaz Ahmad Bajad, his younger brother Showkat Ahmad Bajad, and a third person, Mukhtar Ahmad.
All three hailed from Rajouri and were working as labourers in Qazigund.
Riyaz and Showkat belong to the Gujjar community. The trio went missing on February 13, when they had gone to attend a function.
Soon after their disappearance, frantic family members started searching for them. They also lodged a missing complaint at the local police station.
Three days after their disappearance, Riyas’s body was found in the Vaishow nala at Mah Ashmuji area in Kulgam district. Nearly a month later, on Sunday, March 16, his brother Showkat’s body was retrieved from the same nala.
Police are still trying to look for Mukhtar Ahmad, who remains untraceable.
Since the discovery of their bodies, the Gujjar brothers’ family members protested on Sunday demanding an inquiry. It is when the DSP kicked a female protestor, presumably a family member, which was captured on camera.
J&K People’s Conference president Sajad Lone has condemned the DSP’s actions calling it “utterly disdainful.”
In an X post, he expressed condolences to the deceased family. “Images of a police officer kicking the female relatives of two youths who died in Kulgam is utterly disdainful. The whole action reeks of contempt within the minds of those who are supposed to protect the masses. And this is not a rare occurrence. It is almost a daily occurrence. It is just that it escapes filming. My heartfelt condolences to the families and hoping against hope that the third youth is found,” his X post read.
Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti, on Monday, March 17, alleged that security forces put her on house arrest and did not allow her to visit the grieving family.
Tagging the J&K police, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Union home minister Amit Shah, she questioned the motive behind the move.
“Once again the gates of our house have been locked up. Such is the high handedness that they don’t even have the courtesy to inform us. I wanted to visit Kulgam where the dead bodies of two young men who disappeared mysteriously were finally found. What are the authorities trying to hide here?” read her X post.
On Monday, March 17, several legislators blamed the alleged highhandedness of the J&K police toward the family of the deceased Gujjar brothers. They demanded an inquiry into the incident.
National Conference legislator Nazir Ahmad Gurezi called for action against the J&K police, a demand echoed by other legislators, including Mehar Ali and Choudhary Akram.
PDP legislator Waheed Parra also raised concern over the mysterious disappearance of Gujjar young men and demanded an enquiry.
