NEW YORK: The New York-based world rights body, Human Rights Watch has criticised the Indian army’s recent actions in occupied Kashmir where a civilian was tied to the front of a jeep and used as a human shield, terming it as a violation of domestic and international laws.
Major Gogoi had strapped a civilian, Farooq Ahmed Dar, to the bonnet of his jeep on April 9, 2017, in a Budgam area during the Indian Parliamentary by-elections and paraded him in many villages for several hours. On May 22, Major Lt Gogoi was awarded Army Chief’s Commendation Card for his action. Indian Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu, Attorney General, Mukul Rohatgi, and Army Chief General Bipin Rawat have publicly expressed support for Major Gogoi’s inhuman action.
The HRW in a statement posted on its website said that despite a pending inquiry against the officer who ordered the action, the army chief awarded him a medal, spurring a fresh round of outrage. “The army chief’s action undermines accountability and the stature of the military,” it added.
Meanwhile, one Indian soldier was killed and five others were injured in an attack in Islamabad district in occupied Kashmir on Saturday.
Some unknown gunmen attacked a convoy of Indian army on Srinagar-Jammu Highway at Lower Munda near Qazigund area of the district. Six soldiers were injured in the attack and one of them later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
Soon after the incident, Indian troops and police personnel cordoned off the area and launched a massive search operation to nab the attackers. The Srinagar-Jammu Highway has been closed for traffic.
