Girl says locals molested her, not soldier

The Kashmiri student who was reported to have been molested by an Army jawan, leading to violent protests in the north-western town of Handwara during which three persons, including a budding cricketer and a woman, were killed in security forces’ firing on Tuesday, has said it was actually two local youth who harassed her.

She also said she didn’t see any Army personnel inside the public lavatory where she was, as per the tale spread by the youth, molested.

A video released by the Army on Wednesday shows the girl saying that she, along with another girl student, went to the public lavatory close to an Army camp at the main town square to defecate and while she was coming out, a local youth in a school uniform suddenly turned up at the scene questioning her presence there and said “Kashmiris have not perished as yet”. Apparently there was some misunderstanding about the girl’s presence in a lavatory close to an Army camp.

Flabbergasted at his remark, she asked the youth to explain the reason behind the rebuke. The youth “refused to listen to me, he abused me, slapped me and then snatched my bag”. The youth also insisted on her going to the nearby police station (to file a complaint).

In the meantime another youth, identified by the girl as Hilal Bhai, appeared at the scene and started shouting, drawing the attention of the passers-by. Soon a huge crowd gathered at the scene, chanting slogans against the Army over the alleged molestation of the girl by an Army jawan.

The girl says it was Shaffi Uncle (a policeman) who took her bag back from the youth. In the video, someone-most likely a policeman as his face is not shown, is seen trying to encourage the girl to speak up by telling her “You are like my daughter. Say without any fear what happened.”

The Army said it has not filmed the video. It, however, also said the Army has verified the authenticity of the video and identity of the girl.

“The video is being released after obscuring the face to protect the identity of the girl keeping in view the sensitivities involved,” defence spokesman Lt. Col. N. N. Joshi said here.