Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Commission has asked the state government to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to a local youth who was tied to the bonnet of an army jeep on April 9 as a human shield to avoid attack from stone-pelters. The commission has taken suo-moto cognisance of the incident. Major Leetul Gogoi’s act had stirred a major controversy in the Kashmir Valley during Srinagar bypoll.
According to media reports, the commission said the case was listed before Justice Bilal Nazki, chairperson of the J&K State Human Rights Commission, who directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to pay compensation to the tune of Rs 10 lakh to the victim Farooq Ahmad Dar within six weeks.
It also directed the state government to file a compliance report in the matter within six weeks.
A video of the incident had gone viral leading to an uproar. The Jammu and Kashmir Police had also registered an FIR against the security forces. The Army had constituted a court of inquiry into the incident.
Reflecting that the Army supports Major Gogoi’s action, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had awarded COAS (Chief of Army Staff) commendation for sustained efforts in counter-insurgency operations to him during a recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
Major Gogoi had said he saved at least 12 lives with his decision to tie the stone-pelter to his jeep as a shield. According to him, stones and boulders were thrown upon his team near a polling booth and they were unable to safely evacuate ITBP personnel and polling staff inside Utligam polling station where petrol bombs were also being hurled.
