Umar Mukhtar
Srinagar
A video being circulated on social networking sites in the valley, of army men beating and abusing youth somewhere has led to severe criticism on social media.
The youth is beaten for carrying pictures of slain Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, who was killed last year on July 8 by the forces, in his phone.
The video is believed to have been shot in the southern part of valley where such incidents have “become a routine”.
In the video it is seen four army men caught hold of a youth and were kicking, abusing and swirling lathis at him.
The youth is seen pleading before the army men to spare him. He pleads that he is fasting.
“I am fasting please leave me, I will never keep such photos in my phone,” the youth is seen pleading before the army men in the video.
The video was reportedly shot by the army men and then circulated on the social networking sites. It is believed that the video was circulated to warn the youth.
“Army men are also heard hurling abuses at a passerby woman.”
Besides beating, the youth is being repeatedly asked to shout ‘Pakistan Murdabad’ slogans.
Social media users in Kashmir have termed the incident as “brutal”.
National conference leader Tanvir Sadiq questioned, “What rule of army allows this?”
Tanvir Sadiq tweeted the video: “What particular rule of Army allows this @atahasnain53 / @rwac48 ? He’s saying “please don’t beat me I’m fasting”! Any outrage here??”
A facebook user, Khan Ansur wrote: “This is just one example of their brutal nature. They have been doing it since Kashmir came under the oppressed rule.
And this is (in video) how they distribute sweets among Oppressed Kashmiri Lot.”
Freelance journalist, Baba Tamim wrote: “A Kashmiri civilian can be seen unlawfully frisked, illegally phone snatched, mercilessly beaten and humiliated while a Kashmiri Indian policeman or trooper can be heard speaking few words in Kashmiri as he records this brutal lynching. Inspite of protecting the civilian the policeman/trooper also joins abusive troops, hurling more abuses. The abuses go on from his mother to Quran/ Burhan (not clear) while he pleads he is fasting. All of this is happening in the Holy month of Ramadan.
Such a “savage”. Tomorrow if this incident makes him to ‘lynch’ a cop or a trooper, since justice is not made for him, go ahead and condemn his actions not this.”
Saqib Khursheed wrote: “This is totally barbaric… human rights violation r on its peak in kashmir…and the worst part is the Indian media…they r never gonna show these kinds of videos….these types of barbaric acts r the the reason of hatred among Kashmir’s for India”
The video was shared by a facebook page, ‘With Kashmir’ and was shared by more than 13 thousand people.
Pertinently, this is not the first such incident.
In the past many videos, wherein army men were seen beating civilians and hurling abuses at them, went viral on social networking sites.
A similar video surfaced recently, in which army men were seen bundling a youth in their Casper (a mine protected vehicle for army) and being beaten.
“Army men were heard asking the youth to chant ‘I love my India, Pakistan Murdabad and Hindustan Zindabad’ while being slapped and abused.
