There was massive outrage on Thursday after former Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah tweeted a video of a young man strapped to an army jeep. The 26-year-old Farooq Ahmad Dar told DNA that he was paraded for 26 km allegedly to keep stone-pelters at bay. He said: “"I cannot believe that I am alive. They first thrashed me and then tied me to the bonnet of the jeep and zoomed past several villages.”
There was massive outrage on Thursday after former Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah tweeted a video of a young man strapped to an army jeep. The 26-year-old Farooq Ahmad Dar told DNA that he was paraded for 26 km allegedly to keep stone-pelters at bay. He said: “"I cannot believe that I am alive. They first thrashed me and then tied me to the bonnet of the jeep and zoomed past several villages.”
Dar, who ekes out a living by working as a Sozni (handmade embroidery) craftsman, was on his way to Gampora when he was allegedly picked up by the army troopers near Putligam and tied to the bonnet of a jeep before being paraded around dozens of villages.
His brother Fayaz Ahmad added that Dar had even cast his vote before he left to attend the condolence meeting of a relative when he was allegedly caught by the army and tied to the bonnet of their jeep to keep stone throwers at bay.
Anger spread across Kashmir after the video went viral. Former CM Omar Abdullah tweeted Dar's picture, and demanded an investigation into the case. Later he posted a 19 second-video on his Twitter handle sparking an outrage on the social media. "Here's the video as well. A warning can be heard saying stone pelters will meet this fate. This requires an urgent inquiry & follow up NOW!!" Omar said.
According to a report in the Indian Express, the incident occurred on April 19 and he was paraded for nearly for four hours and driven nearly 25 km. Dar was quoted saying by the newspaper: “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.”
Dar told The Wire: “They damaged my bike, thrashed me severely with gun butts and wooden sticks and in an almost unconscious state tied me to the front of the jeep and paraded me through 10 to 20 villages.”
Dar said that he thought it was a ‘miracle’ that he was still alive. He said: “At one point I had given up the hope of returning home alive… I thought all my bones have been broken as my entire body was in pain due to ruthless beating. I was in shock, not able to understand what do to as the forces kept threatening me in case I speak to anybody moving on the road. I was pleading with them to leave me but they wouldn’t listen.” Dar further said that he hadn’t left his house since the incidence.
Earlier, defence spokesman at Srinagar Colonel Rajesh Kalia said: “The contents of the video are being verified and investigated.” Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday, "Whatever has happened, we will look into it."
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