Three Indian Army men arrested for allegedly abducting, molesting minor Bandipora girl

Srinagar: Three Indian Army personnel have been found allegedly involved in the abduction and molestation of a minor girl last week in Chewa area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, KDC reported.

Quoting unnamed sources, the news agency reported that the three persons who were held on February 10 this month are Army troopers.

“The accused Army soldiers have been identified as Sub-inspector Harbachan Singh, Naik Amit Tahkor and Hawaldar Manzoor Ahmad. All the trios are facing police detention regarding the incident,” the report quoted the sources as saying.

An official confirmed that police have registered an FIR bearing number 15/2021 under sections 341, 363, 511 IPC last week at Police Station Sumbal following a complaint by the girl’s family.

Meanwhile, the former Chief Minister of J&K and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, while reacting over the incident on Tuesday, took to Twitter and wrote, “Locals in Bandipora have alleged that 3 army men tried to abduct & molest a 9 year old girl. Her family is now being pressurized to withdraw the FIR. It’s a complete travesty of justice & an impartial probe must be set up immediately so that they are given the harshest punishment.”

SSP Bandipora Rahul Malik confirmed that three arrests have been made in this regard and police have not received any complaint so far about reports of pressurising. He said no one is being pressurised from any quarter as further investigations into the matter are underway. (KDC)