J&K Police personnel keeping a check during lockdown. Express photo by Shuaib Masoodi
The administration in South Kashmir’s Pulwama ordered an probe after an ambulance driver of the health department was allegedly beaten up by police personnel in Pulwama district of South Kashmir on Sunday night.
As per the order issued by the District Magistrate Pulwama Raghav Langer, Altaf Khan Additional District Magistrate Pulwama has been designated as the Inquiry Officer and will submit a report in a week.
“As per the communication received from District Magistrate Shopian….one Tariq Ahmad… was allegedly beaten up by Policemen at the naka point…,” the order reads. The order further said, “Now, therefore Mr. Altaf Ahmad Khan…is hereby designated as Inquiry officer who shall conduct an inquiry into the incident and shall furnish his conclusion within a week time positively.”
Officials said that ambulance driver Tariq Ahmad from Shopian was sent to nearby Pulwama to pick up two people who were put under administrative quarantine. The driver alleged that he was stopped at a checkpoint by police personnel in Pulwama and was beaten up.
“He had to pick up two people from Pulwama. The driver told us that there was a naka in the area and he was asked to take another route. There was probably an altercation and he said he was beaten by the police present there. He has suffered soft issue injuries,” Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Shopian, Dr. Ramesh Kumar told The Indian Express.
He said the matter was taken up with the local authorities and a complaint has been submitted as well.
Day after the incident, ambulance drivers in Shopian staged a protest against the Pulwama police.
Speaking with The Indian Express, Tariq Ahmad said he was sent to Pulwama to pick two quarantined people. “After I picked one, I reached to the circuit road, where policemen were present. They told me to take another route, and road in closed. But after I saw a vehicle coming from the same road, which they told me is closed, I again requested to please allow me to go. They told me to take alternative route. When I objected to it, one policeman came and hit me with stick. I was beaten,” he said. “I contacted seniors and even my brother who is in police department,” added Ahmad.
Superintendent of Police, Pulwama Ashish Mishra didn’t respond to calls and message sent by The Indian Express. Calls to DM Langer also went unanswered.
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