SRINAGAR: Police in Srinagar have registered a First Information Report against a Harwan resident for allegedly abusing, assaulting and obstructing a Patwari while he was discharging his official field duties, besides circulating an unauthorised video on social media containing unsubstantiated allegations of corruption.
The action was initiated at Police Station Harwan following a written communication from the Executive Magistrate 1st Class and Tehsildar North Srinagar under letter number TNS/Acctts/2026-2027/155-56. Acting on the communication, police booked the accused, identified as Sheer Ali Mir, son of Ghulam Hassan Mir and a resident of Barji Balla, Murinderbagh, under FIR No. 0046/2026 dated September 15, 2026. The charges have been framed under Section 132 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which penalises the use of assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging lawful duty.
According to the FIR, the incident took place on the afternoon of Monday, September 14, 2026, between 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm at Barji Bala. At the time, Patwari Halqa Murinderbagh, Kaisar Ahmad Mir, accompanied by other revenue personnel, was conducting official field operations related to the Agristack Kisan Yojana and the Digital Crop Survey (DCS) for Kharif 2026.
The complaint states that the accused, along with family members, confronted the revenue team, allegedly hurled abuses, physically assaulted the official and forcibly disrupted the ongoing government work.
The confrontation was also recorded on camera without consent and subsequently shared across digital platforms, accompanied by allegations of corruption against the Patwari. The Tehsildar North Srinagar stated in the requisition that circulating such one-sided footage could tarnish the dignity and functioning of administrative personnel while also posing a risk to their personal safety.
The investigation has been entrusted to an Assistant Sub-Inspector-rank officer, who has been directed to collect and preserve all relevant electronic and video evidence.
In view of the circulation of the footage, the Revenue Department has also cautioned social media administrators and digital portals against sharing unverified material without seeking the official’s version or carrying out basic editorial verification. It noted that presenting unilateral allegations as established facts could have serious legal and personal consequences. (KDC)
