NHRC asks for report on ‘human shield’

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Defence Secretary to submit a report about the April 9 incident where Army personnel in Kashmir tied a man to the front of their vehicle and drove him around as a human shield against stone-pelting protesters.

A video of Farooq Ahmed Dar, who the Army said was one of those pelting stones at the convoy in Budgam district, tied to the front of the vehicle went viral and caused a national controversy.

Though the Army ordered a Court of Inquiry, Major Leetul Gogoi, who was responsible for tying Mr. Dar to the vehicle, was on May 22 honoured with a Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card for sustained efforts in counter-insurgency operations.

While the Army’s inquiry is still on, the NHRC has written to the Defence Secretary asking for an action taken report to be submitted within four weeks of receiving the communication. The letter was sent on May 8, based on a complaint filed by a human rights activist from Odisha. As on Thursday, the NHRC was yet to receive a response from the Defence Secretary.

As per the letter, the complainant, Akhand, of the Civil Society Forum on Human Rights, approached the NHRC on April 17 and the matter was placed before the Commission on May 4. Along with sending the complaint, the NHRC letter asked for an action taken report within four weeks.

Mr. Akhand had asked for the NHRC to intervene, terming the incident a “gross violation of human rights”. Mr. Dar has maintained that he was not one of the protesters attacking the Army convoy.