Army officer who tied youth to jeep in Kashmir gets clean chit; praised by court

Srinagar: An Army court exonerated the officer and praised him for tying a youth to a moving jeep in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam on April 9 to “avoid” stone pelting on forces.

The Army had ordered a probe by the Army Court of Inquiry (COI) after police registered an FIR for the incident when an Army Major tied a youth to the bonnet of a jeep as a human shield.

Army sources said Major Nitin Gogol has been praised by the Court of INquiry for “presence of mind to avoid casualties or injuries”.

There was widespread condemnation of the act by various politicians, including former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.