A case of attempt to murder and dacoity has been registered against 16 army soldiers, including three lieutenant colonels, for their alleged involvement in a violent attack on Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara police station.
The incident, which was reportedly triggered after the Jammu and Kashmir police questioned a Territorial Army jawan in connection with an alleged drug case, took place on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.
A purported video of the group of soldiers, armed and uniformed, from the 160 Territorial Army, showed them storming the police station along with senior Indian Army officials.
The TA is a military reserve force composed of part-time volunteers who provide support services to the Indian Army.
An FIR was registered in this regard under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 307 (attempt to murder), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 147 (punishment for rioting).
The armed group led by lieutenant colonels Ankit Sood, Rajiv Chauhan and Nikhil entered the police station premises forcibly. Then they launched a brutal attack on the police officers there, using sticks, rifle butts and kicking them without any provocation, the FIR said.
The tussle further escalated when the army personnel swung their weapons, seized injured police officers' mobile phones and even kidnapped a police constable before fleeing the scene.
However, prompt reaction from senior police personnel helped in the rescue of the targeted constable and initiate a legal action against those involved.
Notably, the accused are also charged under sections 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 392 (punishment for robbery), 397 (robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person).
All 16 of them have also been booked under the Arms Act, the FIR stated.
Officials said that the investigation into the matter is being conducted by the Kupwara Superintendent of Police, adding that they aim to unearth the entire length of the crime and bring the accused to justice.
Meanwhile, a Defence spokesperson said that the reports of the tussle between police and army personnel and "beating up therein of police personnel are mis-founded and incorrect".
"Minor differences between the police personnel and a Territorial Army unit on an operational matter have been amicably resolved," the spokesperson had said in a statement on Wednesday.
The injured cops and the station house officer (SHO) were shifted to the hospital for treatment.
(With PTI inputs)
