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Published 17 Apr, 2017 01:07pm

FIR registered against Indian Army in Kashmir 'human shield' case: reports

A First Investigation Report (FIR) has been registered against the Indian Army after a video of a Kashmiri youth being used as a human shield by the army sparked outrage on social media, the Hindustan Times reported

The FIR was registered after Indian Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat met Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, according to [India Today], which suggested the meeting came in the backdrop of the 'human shield controversy'.

Police said the FIR was registered in the Beerwa police station in India-held Kashmir's Budgam district, where it is believed the video was shot, police said. The video was supposedly shot on April 9 during Srinagar by-polls.

The army chief earlier also spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti regarding the incident, India Today reported.

Mufti on her Facebook page said, "In the ‘human shield’ video case, FIR No 38/17 U/S 342/149/506&367 RPC has been registered in Police Station Beerwah on 13/4/17. Investigation is being conducted by SDPO Magam."

"We shall ensure that investigations are taken to a logical conclusion so that action is taken," Mufti added.

A local news agency in held Kashmir KNS reported that an investigation by police was conducted against the Indian Army’s 53 Rashtriya Rifles unit.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah had tweeted the video, noting that: "A warning can be heard saying that stone pelters [in held Kashmir] will meet this fate. This requires an urgent inquiry and follow up now."

"I understand the outrage the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) video generated. I'm also outraged that the video of the youth on the jeep won't generate the same anger," he said, referring to the reaction incited by a recent video of an Indian soldier being slapped by Kashmiri protestors which was shared widely in Indian media.

In the latest surge of violence in India-held Kashmir, at least six people were killed and more than two dozen injured on April 9, when police clashed with protesters during a by-election in Srinagar in India-held Kashmir region.

Suspected separatist factions in Kashmir had called for a boycott of the vote, resulting in heightened security and low voter turnout when the polling began.

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