In Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir, four police officers were hospitalized following an alleged assault by Army personnel on Tuesday night. Special Police Officers Rayees Khan and Imtiyaz Malik, along with Constables Saleem Mushtaq and Zahoor Ahmad, are currently receiving treatment at SKIMS Hospital in Soura, where their condition is reported to be stable.
The altercation reportedly took place when an Army team, led by an officer, entered the Kupwara district police station and physically assaulted the officers. The motive behind the incident remains unclear, but sources suggest it may have been triggered by a police raid on the residence of a local Territorial Army man in Batpora, Kupwara. This raid, part of an ongoing investigation, allegedly angered the local Army unit, leading to the confrontation at the police station.
A defence spokesperson in Srinagar has denied claims of a physical altercation, labeling the reports as “misfounded and incorrect.” The spokesperson stated that any minor operational differences between police personnel and the Territorial Army unit had been amicably resolved.
Despite the defence spokesperson’s comments, the police have filed an FIR, citing several sections of the Indian Penal Code. These include section 307 (attempt to murder), section 186 (obstructing public servants), section 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant while they are performing their duty), and section 365 (abduction).
This incident highlights the delicate and sometimes volatile relationship between police and military forces in the region. As investigations continue, both police and army officials have refrained from commenting further on the matter.
