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| Indian Army Ties Kashmiri Man to Jeep and Parades Him Through Villages | Indian Army Ties Kashmiri Man to Jeep and Parades Him Through Villages |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| CHILL-BRASS, Kashmir — As Indian forces have tried to quell a Pakistan-supported insurgency in the Kashmir region, stories have circulated for decades about Indian officers’ rough treatment of young men accused of backing the militants. | CHILL-BRASS, Kashmir — As Indian forces have tried to quell a Pakistan-supported insurgency in the Kashmir region, stories have circulated for decades about Indian officers’ rough treatment of young men accused of backing the militants. |
| But it is difficult to point to any single image more disturbing over that time than a video clip that started spreading on social media on Thursday. It showed a young man tied to the front bumper of a military jeep as it patrolled villages, apparently serving as a human shield against stone-throwing crowds. | But it is difficult to point to any single image more disturbing over that time than a video clip that started spreading on social media on Thursday. It showed a young man tied to the front bumper of a military jeep as it patrolled villages, apparently serving as a human shield against stone-throwing crowds. |
| The man looks dazed and miserable, his knees splayed and one of his pants legs pulled up. Tied to his chest is a piece of paper, on which his name is scrawled. “Look at the fate of the stone-pelter,” a soldier announced over a loudspeaker, a video of the episode shows. | |
| By the weekend, the bound man, a shawl weaver named Farooq Ahmad Dar, was described by some analysts as a defining image in the 27-year insurgency. Authorities in the region on Sunday took the unusual step of filing a criminal complaint against the army for tying Mr. Dar to the jeep, according to Ghulam Hassan Bhat, the deputy inspector general of police for central Kashmir. | |
| Mr. Dar, who spoke to Indian reporters on Friday, said in an interview that he was detained by an army unit on April 9, on his way to a relative’s funeral, and then beaten with sticks and guns. He said he was then tied to the jeep’s bumper and driven around at least nine villages, where local people were astonished at the sight of him. | Mr. Dar, who spoke to Indian reporters on Friday, said in an interview that he was detained by an army unit on April 9, on his way to a relative’s funeral, and then beaten with sticks and guns. He said he was then tied to the jeep’s bumper and driven around at least nine villages, where local people were astonished at the sight of him. |
| “When they saw me, they were afraid and angry,” he said. “I saw people breaking into tears on seeing my state.” | “When they saw me, they were afraid and angry,” he said. “I saw people breaking into tears on seeing my state.” |
| Mr. Dar said he had never supported the separatists, and had steadfastly voted in elections even when separatists called for a boycott. He said the experience had left him traumatized. | Mr. Dar said he had never supported the separatists, and had steadfastly voted in elections even when separatists called for a boycott. He said the experience had left him traumatized. |
| “My family wants me to see a doctor, but I am afraid of stepping out of our house,” he said. “When it’s evening, I see them in my thoughts, coming again to take me away. Again, they strap me to the jeep and make the rounds of the villages.” | “My family wants me to see a doctor, but I am afraid of stepping out of our house,” he said. “When it’s evening, I see them in my thoughts, coming again to take me away. Again, they strap me to the jeep and make the rounds of the villages.” |
| Mr. Dar, who comes from an area of Kashmir that historically has not been especially supportive of the militancy, said he would no longer express his support for India’s government by participating in elections. | Mr. Dar, who comes from an area of Kashmir that historically has not been especially supportive of the militancy, said he would no longer express his support for India’s government by participating in elections. |
| “I voted, and this is what I got in return,” he said. “Do you think it will help India in Kashmir? No. It will give Kashmiris another reason to hate India.” | “I voted, and this is what I got in return,” he said. “Do you think it will help India in Kashmir? No. It will give Kashmiris another reason to hate India.” |
| The chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir State, Mehbooba Mufti, met with Gen. Bipin Rawat, the head of the Indian Army, on Saturday, warning that the video would deepen hostility toward Indian forces among Kashmiris. General Rawat assured Ms. Mufti that military officials would take action against those who tied Mr. Dar to the jeep, according to The Press Trust of India. | The chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir State, Mehbooba Mufti, met with Gen. Bipin Rawat, the head of the Indian Army, on Saturday, warning that the video would deepen hostility toward Indian forces among Kashmiris. General Rawat assured Ms. Mufti that military officials would take action against those who tied Mr. Dar to the jeep, according to The Press Trust of India. |
| “No one is condoning the incident,” said Col. Rajesh Kalia, an army spokesman. | “No one is condoning the incident,” said Col. Rajesh Kalia, an army spokesman. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Separatist leaders called for a boycott of a vote on April 9 for a parliamentary seat representing Srinagar, and only 7 percent of qualified voters went to the polls. Eight people were killed in violence that day in Budgam, the district where Mr. Dar lives, and violent unrest was reported throughout the region. | Separatist leaders called for a boycott of a vote on April 9 for a parliamentary seat representing Srinagar, and only 7 percent of qualified voters went to the polls. Eight people were killed in violence that day in Budgam, the district where Mr. Dar lives, and violent unrest was reported throughout the region. |
| When a second round of polling was scheduled for April 13, to make up for voting canceled because of violence, only 2 percent of eligible voters showed up. | When a second round of polling was scheduled for April 13, to make up for voting canceled because of violence, only 2 percent of eligible voters showed up. |
| Local youths have lashed out at Indian forces, who are vastly outnumbered in rural Kashmir. In a video recorded on Sunday in Mr. Dar’s home region, young men are seen heckling and kicking security forces, and badgering them to chant a separatist slogan. | Local youths have lashed out at Indian forces, who are vastly outnumbered in rural Kashmir. In a video recorded on Sunday in Mr. Dar’s home region, young men are seen heckling and kicking security forces, and badgering them to chant a separatist slogan. |
| The internet, which the authorities blocked in Kashmir in the aftermath of the polling, citing security reasons, was restored late on Thursday, and the video of Mr. Dar’s ordeal began to circulate widely, prompting passionate commentary. | The internet, which the authorities blocked in Kashmir in the aftermath of the polling, citing security reasons, was restored late on Thursday, and the video of Mr. Dar’s ordeal began to circulate widely, prompting passionate commentary. |
| “Image of a ‘stone pelter’ tied in front of a jeep as a ‘human shield,’ will 4 ever haunt the Indian Army & the nation,” H. S. Panag, a retired lieutenant general, wrote on Twitter. | “Image of a ‘stone pelter’ tied in front of a jeep as a ‘human shield,’ will 4 ever haunt the Indian Army & the nation,” H. S. Panag, a retired lieutenant general, wrote on Twitter. |
| Many others, however, praised the troops for showing toughness in Kashmir. | |
| “How is this morally wrong when stone pelters use children to shield themselves,” remarked R. Jagannathan, a prominent columnist and editor, in a Twitter post. Swarajya, a news magazine Mr. Jagannathan edits, later published an article saying that the commanding officer “took the call in order to prevent direct confrontation between the mob and the army, which would have ended in bloodshed.” | |
| Many residents in surrounding villages said they had watched as the army convoy patrolled with Mr. Dar strapped to the front of the lead car. Abdul Qayoom Shah, 37, a shopkeeper, said Mr. Dar had been riding on a motorbike and approached an army unit that appeared poised to repel an attack. He said Mr. Dar was “beaten ruthlessly and tied to the jeep.” | Many residents in surrounding villages said they had watched as the army convoy patrolled with Mr. Dar strapped to the front of the lead car. Abdul Qayoom Shah, 37, a shopkeeper, said Mr. Dar had been riding on a motorbike and approached an army unit that appeared poised to repel an attack. He said Mr. Dar was “beaten ruthlessly and tied to the jeep.” |
| Ghulam Qadir Dar, a relative of Mr. Dar’s, said Mr. Dar was attending a funeral when he was detained by the army. Only through social media did they learn that Mr. Dar had been tied to the jeep. | Ghulam Qadir Dar, a relative of Mr. Dar’s, said Mr. Dar was attending a funeral when he was detained by the army. Only through social media did they learn that Mr. Dar had been tied to the jeep. |
| “We were shocked when we came to know he was beaten, but never knew he was humiliated in such a way,” he said. | “We were shocked when we came to know he was beaten, but never knew he was humiliated in such a way,” he said. |