After the ambush at Dhatyar Morh on Thursday, which resulted in the deaths of four soldiers and injuries to three others, the army detained nine men for questioning on Friday.
The villages of Bafliaz and Topa Pir, situated in the elevated Pir Panjal mountains of Surankote in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), are still simmering with tensions. As of Wednesday, December 27, an internet shutdown persisted, and the media was barred from entering the area following the custodial deaths of three villagers who were detained by the Army on Friday, December 22.
Receiving medical treatment at Rajouri Government Medical College and Hospital, Mohammad Farooq, a resident of Upper Pangai village in Rajouri district, vividly recounted his harrowing experience. "I find myself lying on a hospital bed. As a laborer with a wife and daughter, the ordeal began on a Friday morning around 9:30 when the police summoned me to Thannamandi police station. Along with four other men, I set out, but en route, the army intercepted us and transported us to an army camp at Dera Ki Gali," he narrated.
Farroq remembered that a group of five individuals, including a 15-year-old, reached the army camp at DKG, where their phones were confiscated. They faced severe beatings with lathis and iron rods by multiple soldiers in the camp. The brutality escalated as the perpetrators applied chili powder and salt to the wounds, accompanied by the administration of electric shocks. This torment persisted until 7 or 8 pm on Friday.
"At approximately 9 pm on Friday, they left me unconscious on the roadside after continuously beating us and recording videos," he recounted. "In a desperate state, I managed to crawl to a nearby house, pleading for assistance. Eventually, some individuals helped me and took me to my cousin's house," he narrated. "The following day, villagers transported me to the hospital. However, as of now, neither I nor the four others recovering at the Rajouri hospital have received any compensation," he claimed.
An FIR (First Information Report) has been filed by the J&K Police, and the Army has initiated an internal investigation into the civilian deaths led by a Brigadier-level officer. The FIR states, "A recognizable offense under section 302 of the IPC [Indian Penal Code] is evident. Based on this information, the present case has been officially registered."
