A Delhi-based academic hailing from Rajouri and his brother, an Indo-Tibetan Border Police employee, were allegedly beaten up by the army on a road in the Jammu region on Thursday night.
The army ordered an inquiry on Friday after a video purportedly showed Liaqat Ali, assistant professor with IGNOU, bleeding from a cut in his scalp and alleging assault by soldiers.
An army spokesman, however, claimed Ali had “tried to snatch weapons of the soldiers on duty and initiated a scuffle with them” during a search operation for terrorists.
The incident occurred at Laam village in Rajouri. Ali said the brothers were assaulted while returning from a pre-wedding ceremony.
“My car was stopped and I was asked to show my ID card. Out of respect, I came down and showed them my Delhi card, which shows my designation as assistant professor,” he told reporters on Friday.
“They were incensed (that) I was showing the card of a professor to a company commander. They hit me with gun butts. I have six to seven stitches on my head. They hit (me in the) face, kicked me, leaving me unconscious.”
Ali added: “I begged and said sorry but they continued beating me.”
He said he saw his brother being pushed towards a roadside sewer and trampled on by four soldiers.
“I think such an officer (who led the army team) is a blot on the army. I don’t know his name (could not read the name tag) as it was pitch dark.”
In a Facebook post on Thursday night, Ali wrote: “My entire family is in the Indian army. I’ve always been proud of that. Proud of the uniform, the service, the sacrifice.
“But today, what I experienced shook that pride to the core. Without any reason, without any question, I was assaulted – hit on the head with a weapon by the very people I once trusted blindly.
“It made me realise one terrifying truth: if the system chooses to, it can ‘encounter’ any human being – without evidence, without trial, without justice. There’s no apology that can undo this wound. Only one haunting question remains – has justice now become the privilege of the uniform alone?”
An army spokesman referred to an incident where “certain individuals were allegedly manhandled by army personnel in Rajouri district”.
“The army had input on the likely movement of terrorists in a vehicle in this sensitive area. Accordingly, search operations were being conducted,” he said.
“Preliminary information suggests that on being stopped, the individual tried to snatch weapons of the soldiers on duty and initiated a scuffle with them. However, an inquiry has been initiated. Should any personnel be found guilty of misconduct, strict action will be taken in accordance with the existing law.”
The army statement asked people “to cooperate and collaborate” with its efforts towards “comprehensive security in this sensitive area”.
Many reports have come from the Jammu region about alleged excesses by the security forces amid a surge in militant violence.
A 26-year-old man, Makhan Din, committed suicide in February after releasing a video alleging police torture.
A high court judge, Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal, passed an order this week in connection with the matter, directing the personal appearance of the station house officer and investigating officer of Billawar police station.