Video By: Rafeeqa Bano: Article By: Sajad Rasool
Farooq Ahmad Dar, a 27 year old man from Chill-Brass village of Budgam Kashmir, was tied by the Indian army to to a Jeep on 9 April, the day mid term elections were conducted by India’s election commission on Srinagar-Budgam parliamentary seat. The video surfaced on social media and went viral and received huge criticism at International level. This is a unique example of a person being used as a ‘human shield’ by Indian army to create fear among the agitating Kashmiris. On the poll day 7 people were killed in Budgam while as one person was shot dead by forces in Ganderbal. Hundreds of protesters suffered bullet and pellet injuries the same day. The video emerged amid signs of deepening alienation among Kashmiris, and ahead of the hot months of summer, which typically bring escalating clashes between Indian forces and Kashmiri youths.
Interestingly, Farooq Ahmad has voted during the poll process. “I went to cast my vote at around 8 am, and later was taken by army and humiliated, this is what I got in return,” Farooq asks.
Pertinently, an FIR No. 38/17 U/S 342/149/506 & 367 RPC was registered in the Beerwah Police Station on April 13.
