The video of a Kashmiri man tied to an army jeep and paraded across villages in the Valley has spoken by making astonishing revelations.
Contrary to media reports that branded him as a stone pelter, 26-year-old Farooq Ahmed Dar said that he was on his way to attend a funeral in the family when he was picked up and tied to the army jeep.
He told Indian Express, “I am not a stone-pelter. Never in my life have I thrown stones. I work as an embroiderer of shawls, and I know some carpentry. This is what I do.”
Dar said that he was paraded 25 kms by army before being released adding that he found himself helpless because of his poverty-stricken life.
He said, “Gareeb log hain, kya karengey complain (We are poor people, what will we complain). I live alone with my asthmatic mother who is 75-years-old. I am scared. Anything can happen to me. I am not a stone-pelter.” His mother Fazie agreed: “No, we don’t want any inquiry. We are poor people. I don’t want to lose him. He is the only one I have to look after me in my old age.”
Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that he would look into the issue of a video showing a man tied to an army jeep, purportedly to be used as a human shield against stone pelters in Kashmir, which has gone viral.
He said he had no information on the video as of now, but added, “Whatever has happened, we will look into it.”
The video showed a man tied to an army jeep, purportedly to be used as a human shield against stone pelters, in the Beerwah area of Budgam district on April 9.
Singh said, “I have already asked for filing an FIR on the incident (of) CRPF jawans (being heckled) while carrying electronic voting machines.”
In that video, a CRPF man on polling duty was seen being heckled by protesters in the Chadoora area of Budgam district.
Army and defence officials were not immediately available for comment.
The video has evoked angry reactions from social media users with many calling the act by the Indian armed forces as a gross violation of human rights in Jammu and Kashmir.
Courtesy: Janta Ka Reporter