SRINAGAR, Held Kashmir: The youth, who was seen tied to an army jeep on polling day in the Held Kashmir, has been identified as Farooq Dar while the army unit involved in the act was 53 Rashtriya Rifles.
Officials investigating the matter on instructions of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said Farooq Dar is a resident of Chill village in Khag tehsil of Budgam in central Kashmir.
They said during investigation, Dar said he was out to cast his vote and later visit his sister’s house, where a bereavement had taken place, to offer condolences.
Dar told investigators that after exercising his right to vote, he was proceeding towards his sister’s village when he was caught by the army men, who wanted to enter Beerwah village along with the polling staff, the officials said.
Dar was tied to a jeep as the army moved into the village along with a convoy of troops and some polling staff, they said.
The civilian said that he was released after he was paraded in 10 to 12 villages, the officials said.
Sources in army, which has promised an inquiry, claimed that Dar was picked up from a “trouble spot” and was tied up for barely 100 metres before being released.
They said the unit involved in the act was 53 RR. The Rashtriya Rifles was carved out from various units of the army for fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
