A Commanding Officer of the Indian Army and approximately 30 to 40 other personnel have been booked after they allegedly stormed a police station, assaulted police personnel, and damaged government property in Jammu's Kishtwar district. The incident occurred at the Atholi police station, prompting a formal First Information Report (FIR) and a joint investigation.
Altercation Over Vehicle Leads to Escalation
According to sources, the trouble began when the driver of a private vehicle associated with the Army allegedly got into an altercation with the driver of a pilot vehicle belonging to the Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner, who was en route to an official function. After the Army driver reportedly misbehaved, the vehicle was taken to the nearby police station. Although the vehicle was later allowed to leave, the situation escalated when Army personnel later stormed the police station.
The FIR, a copy of which was accessed by The Tribune, states that under the direct command of N Arun Gandhi, Commanding Officer of 17 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), a group of 30-40 Army personnel, led by Major Vikas Sharma, launched a pre-planned attack. “Armed with lathis, iron rods, and arms and ammunition, the group stormed the police station by climbing over the main gate and the boundary wall. Their intention was to cause fatal injuries and kill the police personnel on duty,” the FIR alleges.
Assault and Damage Details in FIR
The FIR further alleges that during the scuffle, the Army personnel tore the uniform of the Station House Officer (SHO) and physically assaulted Atholi Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Vijay Kumar Bhagat. Several other police personnel on duty also sustained injuries during the assault. The Army personnel also assaulted the Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) of Kishtwar and his personal security officers (PSOs), who were present at the police station. “The attackers also caused extensive damage to government and public property, vandalising the official vehicle of the ARTO, the vehicle of the SHO and the SDPO, and damaging the main gate of the police station,” the FIR adds.
The FIR names Commanding Officer N Arun Gandhi and Major Vikas Sharma of the 17 RR, along with 30-40 other Army personnel as accused.
Army Spokesperson Responds
Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said the matter was “under examination through the appropriate institutional mechanisms.” He added, “Appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the joint investigation. At this stage, it would be premature to comment further while the investigations are in progress.”
