Army chief Rawat, NSA Doval discuss Kashmir situation

New Delhi: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat today apprised National Security Advisor Ajit Doval of the security situation in Kashmir, amidst growing outrage in the Valley over the controversial “human shield” video.

Rawat’s meeting with Doval comes a day after he had separate deliberations with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Governor N N Vohra over the law and order situation in Kashmir during his visit to the state.

Government sources said the Army chief called on Doval at his residence and briefed him about the overall state of security in the Kashmir Valley.

The video, showing a man tied to an army vehicle purportedly as a shield against stone pelters during polling in the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-election, has triggered a public outcry prompting civil and army authorities to launch separate investigations.

In her meeting with Gen Rawat, the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister had raised the issue of the video that has now gone viral on social media.

Gen Rawat has assured the J&K CM of timely action against the personnel who were responsible for the act of tying the man to the vehicle at Budgam.

According to the sources, the army officials told a probe team that they had received a call from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the local police guarding a polling station to save them from a mob that was out to lynch them.

The army convoy rushed in from Kandipura and tied 36- year-old Farooq Dar to a jeep, they said. This incident, which took place on April 9, was shot by unidentified persons on their mobiles and the video showing Dar being used as a shield against stone-pelting protesters was circulated on social media.

The video surfaced days after another clip, showing a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel walking down a street being beaten up by some youths, triggered nationwide outrage.