According to the FIR, one police personnel was allegedly struck on the neck with the butt of a rifle that “resulted in serious injuries”. The police said several police personnel were injured during the incident. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
A First Information Report (FIR) was lodged in the Chenab Valley’s Kishtwar district on Thursday (June 25, 2026) after 40 Army personnel, including two officers, allegedly barged into a police station and thrashed police personnel, including officers. The police have initiated an inquiry into the incident and the Army said it would extend “full cooperation”.
An official said the Army personnel, including a commanding officer and a Major, faced charges under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and pertained to “attempt to murder, rioting, assault on public servants, criminal intimidation etc at the Atholi police station.
The FIR mentioned the names of the Army officers, Colonel N. Arun Gandhi, commanding officer 17 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Vikas Sharma, Naib Subedar Shankar Gurkhe and 30-40 other unidentified Army personnel.
According to the police record based on a complaint of a police officer, the “violent” incident took place around 12.20 p.m. on June 24. It said a group of around 30 to 40 Army personnel from the Army’s 17 RR Camp Kijayee, while acting under the direct instructions and commands of the commanding officer, attacked police personnel with “lathis, iron rods, and arms and ammunition”.
“The Army personnel climbed over the main gate and boundary wall. The group forcibly trespassed into the premises and assaulted police personnel present there,” according to the police.
The local Station House Officer, who returned to the police station following the news, was also allegedly “assaulted during the altercation and his uniform shirt was torn”, besides Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Atholi Vijay Kumar Bhagat.
The police invoked Sections 109, 115(2), 126(2), 132, 189(2), 190, 191(2), 191(3), 221, 324(4), 324(5), 324(6), 332(b), 351(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Section 121(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Section 3(1) of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act following the incident.
According to the FIR, one police personnel was allegedly struck on the neck with the butt of a rifle that “resulted in serious injuries”. The police said several police personnel were injured during the incident.
The FIR suggested that the attackers inflicted “extensive damage to government and public property, vandalised the official vehicles and damaged the main gate of the police station.” It alleged that the assault was “pre-planned and Army personnel wanted to kill the police personnel on duty”.
The police said the investigation had been entrusted to a Sub-Inspector rank officer.
Reacting to the allegation, a defence spokesman said, “The matter is under examination through the appropriate institutional mechanisms. The Army will extend full cooperation in the legal process.
The Army spokesman said appropriate actions would be taken based on the outcome of the joint investigation. At this stage it would be premature to comment further while the investigations were in progress, he said.
Published – June 25, 2026 12:56 pm IST
