Locals accuse army of vandalizing property, thrashing civilians in Shopian
Srinagar, Mar 30: At least eight civilians of Ratnipora village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district were injured allegedly after the army personnel from a local army camp thrashed them during the preceding night.
Many locals alleged that the forces also ransacked several houses in the incident.
“We have seen them earlier as well, they belong to army’s 34 RR of Choudhary Gund camp. They stormed into a few houses of Ratnipora locality of Shopian and beat up the inhabitants to the pulp,” locals alleged.
They said among the eight people who were thrashed, one Mohammad Shafi Naikoo, son of Ghulam Mohammad of Ratnipora, has been referred to Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment.
The other injured have been identified as Muzaffer Pal, son of Gul Mohammad; Imtiyaz Lone, son of Bashir Ahmad; Shahid Rashid Lone, Muzaffer Shafi Beigh, Sahil Sareer Naikoo, Mohammad Shafi Dar, son of Ghulam Mohammad, and Gul Mohammad Lone, son of Ghulam Qadir.
The army however denied these allegations. “No army personnel is involved in manhandling of any civilian or ransacking of any property in Shopian village,” said Col Rajesh Kalia, Srinagar based army spokesman.
“The allegations are baseless and unfounded,” he added.
