In a shocking turn of events, three army lieutenant colonels and 13 others have been booked for attempted murder and dacoity following a violent attack on the Kupwara police station, according to a PTI report on Thursday.
The incident, occurring between Tuesday night and Wednesday, was reportedly triggered by the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s questioning of a Territorial Army jawan in connection with an alleged drug case. The Territorial Army, a reserve force composed of part-time volunteers, provides critical support to the Indian Army.
A video of the incident shows a group of armed and uniformed personnel from the 160 Territorial Army forcefully storming the police station. The First Information Report (FIR) identifies lieutenant colonels Ankit Sood, Rajiv Chauhan, and Nikhil as the leaders of this group. The FIR details how the group forcibly entered the police station premises, brutally assaulting the police personnel with rifle butts and sticks.
The confrontation escalated as the army personnel brandished their weapons, seized mobile phones from the injured officers, and abducted a police constable before fleeing. Senior police officers later intervened, rescuing the abducted constable.
The FIR charges the accused under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 307 (attempt to murder), 342 (wrongful confinement), and 147 (punishment for rioting). Additional charges include 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offense committed in prosecution of common object), 392 (punishment for robbery), 397 (robbery or dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt), and 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent to confine a person), along with violations of the Arms Act.
The investigation, led by the Kupwara deputy superintendent of police, is ongoing. Meanwhile, a defence spokesperson based in Srinagar has downplayed the incident, describing reports of an altercation between police and army personnel as “misfounded and incorrect”.
This incident has raised serious concerns about the conduct and accountability of military personnel, particularly in sensitive regions like Jammu and Kashmir. The ongoing investigation will be crucial in determining the facts and ensuring justice is served.
