South Asia Human Rights Journalist Association

Srinagar, May 23, 2017:  In another move of encouraging might policy, Indian troops to commit grave human rights violations in Kashmir, the  Indian army officer, Major Leetul Gogoi, who tied a defenseless Kashmiri youth Farooq Dar,  to the bonnet of a jeep as a human shield in Budgam area, last month, April 9 has been awarded Indian Army Chief’s Commendation Card. The officer was awarded by Indian Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat, during his recent visit to  disputed territory Kashmir. "Major Gogoi has been awarded Chief of Army Staff's Commendation Card for sustained efforts in operations," Indian Army spokesperson, Aman Anand, said.
Major Gogoi of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles was in the spotlight after a video, shot during the so-called Indian Parliamentary by-elections in Srinagar constituency on April 9 and posted on social media, showed a man tied to the bonnet of an army jeep in Badgam area. The video went viral and evoked condemnations against army's violent action. Investigation by the Jammu and Kashmr police, which lodged an FIR against the Indian forces’ personnel in light of the incident, revealed that it was Major Gogoi who had tied the civilian to the jeep's bonnet as a human shield. A Court of Inquiry was constituted to investigate the incident bit it has not released the report of its findings yet
The Victim Farooq Dar, talking to media said 'Was I an animal', asks Kashmiri man who was tied to jeep by an Indian Army Major has put a question to the Indian authorities about using him as a human shield.
“I want to ask only one thing; was I an animal that I was tied and exhibited?” he asked.
“Kya mein koi bhains ya bail tha,” Dar asked while talking to Hindustan Times (HT).
When a video showing Dar being used as a human shield by Major Leetul Gogoi surfaced online in April this year, it caused much rage. It showed him tied in front of an army vehicle in what seems to be an apparent attempt to shield the Indian army from protesters. In the background, an Indian army soldier can be heard saying, “Those who throw stones will meet the same fate.”
India's army said on Tuesday (May 23) it has commended an officer accused of tying a Kashmiri man to a jeep and using him as a human shield, sparking outrage from rights activists.
Video footage showing Farooq Ahmad Dar bound to the front of an army jeep as it led a convoy in Indian occupied Kashmir caused a public outcry in the restive Himalayan region when it went viral last month.
The army said Leetul Gogoi, who is still under investigation for the jeep incident, had been given the award last week.
"This has been given to Major Leetul Gogoi, who has been deployed in ----operations for more than one year," army spokesman Aman Anand told AFP by phone.
"It has been given for his sustained efforts over a period of time."
The spokesman refused to address the ongoing investigation.
But an army source who asked not to be named said the probe was being finalised, adding, "Whatever indicators are emerging have been taken in consideration as well."
Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Khurram Parvez said the award showed India could behave with absolute impunity in the region, where stone-throwing protesters regularly clash with troops and police.
"This reward means India upholds torture as a means of saving lives and as a part of its counter-insurgency war in Kashmir," he told AFP. "This is a signal to people in Kashmir that India can do anything here with absolute impunity."
Dar, who works as a weaver, has repeatedly said he had no involvement in protests and does not know why he was singled out. His brother Ghulam Qadir called the investigation a mockery.
"Had this kind of an incident taken place elsewhere then justice would have been done," the Indian Express daily quoted Abdul Qadir Dar as saying.
In April, 2017 ten unarmed people, civilians were killed by Indian paramilitaries and police personnel during Indian Parliament by election, and since then Kashmiri students held regular protests.