Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, Apr 5: The Election authorities (ARO) Poonch have taken strong note of an incident of blatant misuse of Election duty vehicle by some cops from Gursai Police Station, who allegedly kidnapped an innocent handicapped Class-IV employee hailing from Dhar Galoon area and dumped him at a place near his house nearly half- dead last night.
The victim has been identified as Mohd Aslam, a resident of Dhar Galoon and Class-IV employee in Education Department (ZEO office Balakote). He had gone to Mendhar in connection with some work last evening. When he was returning home in Alto car No. JK03A/0750 and reached near Mustafa Nagar at Mendhar at around 7.30 pm, a Tata Sumo which carried plate `On Election Duty’ stopped near him. The number plate of the Tata Sumo had been covered with black tape.
Three cops in uniform came out of the vehicle and packed Mohd Aslam- employee in their vehicle alleging that some complaint was against him and he will be taken to Police Station.
Aslam in his statement revealed that he was taken towards a Kutcha road leading to nearby nallah by cops who started him beating. He alleged that his hands were tied with a rope and all the five including two in civil dress and covering their face with cloth, started beating with rifle butts, kicks and blows. Suddenly, after some time a truck passed from the road and its head lights fell on him. The occupants of the truck stopped and asked what they were doing. The cops then hurriedly packed him in Sumo and rushed towards Gursai Police Station.
SHO Gursai, DySP (Prob) Altaf when saw him in serious condition and bleeding, asked his cops what was the matter. The cops told that he was wanted by `Thana Munshi’ in some case. The SHO after inquiring found that no complaint was pending against him and shouted at cops to drop him at his place. The cops got exposed and started abusing the victim and beaten up again on way to his home and dumped him near his house at the village during night. The man kept lying there nearly `half dead’ for several hours. A family member, who were searching for him noticed him lying near cattle shed.
The villagers of the area also came to know about it. They gathered there and shifted the victim to Mendhar Hospital. Later, he narrated the whole matter. A written complaint was lodged with the SDPO Mendhar Surinder Choudhary and SDM Mendhar in this regard by the family. The victim also identified three Police men as Head Constable Mohd Aslam, Constables- Mohd Latief and Mohd Shahid.
The SDM, Ramesh Kumar taking serious note of the incident informed ARO Poonch about the matter. SDPO when contacted said that action under law would be taken against the Policemen for this act. He said that he was investigating into the matter. SDM said that misuse of election duty vehicles and lawlessness by the men in `Khaki’ will not be tolerated. They will have to face the consequences, the SDM maintained.
Follow our WhatsApp channel