Media reports that Army has began a probe in `human shield' row. The Army has convened a court of inquiry (CoI) to probe the controversial Budgam incident in J&K, which saw Rashtriya Rifles soldiers led by a Major allegedly truss up a civilian on their jeep's bonnet as “a human shield“ while rescuing over a dozen security personnel and election officials from a stone-pelting mob on April 9.
The CoI, chaired by a Colonel-rank officer, has been given time till May 15 to ascertain the facts and circumstances behind the entire episode at Beerwa in Budgam district on April 9.
“The CoI is just a fact-finding process. It's not an indictment, chargesheet or actual trial (court martial),“ said an officer. “The CoI will examine the veracity of the complaints and the video footages, while also recording statements of the ITBP personnel and other officials who were rescued from the polling booth at Beerwa during by-election for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat,“ he added.
Media had the report that the Army was going to order a CoI into the incident, even though the top brass feels the Major, who was commanding a company of the 53 Rashtriya Rifle at Budgam, had chosen “the safest course of action“ .
“Responding to the SOS from the trapped officials, the Major showed quick-thinking, presence of mind and initiative to prevent bloodshed in a situation that could have easily spiraled out of control. Not a shot was fired,“ said a senior officer.
The J&K police on April 13 had lodged an FIR at the Beerwa police station against unnamed military personnel, but cannot prosecute any soldier without the Union government's sanction due to the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act being in force in the strife-torn state. The Army has held that the incident was an “aberration“ instead of being the norm.
Pavan K Varma