Title - Soldiers attack railway police station beat up cops

Jammu : Army personnel led by a Colonel allegedly attacked at Railway Police Station, injuring six policemen, one of them seriously, Monday night in district Kathua, sources said. They said that the soldiers, about 35 in number, belonging to the 225 Field Regiment stationed at Janglote in district Kathua attacked the policemen following an altercation with one of them. The reason for the attack was apparently an argument between one of the soldiers and a railway policeman. “A soldier Deepak was heading home on leave when he entered into an altercation with some police personnel at Kathua railway station at around 11 PM Monday night,” police sources, preferring not to be named, told Greater Kashmir. “The General Railway Police (GRP) Santri on duty had put his cell phone for charging at railway station. Deepak allegedly removed the Santri’s cell phone and put his own phone for charging which resulted into exchange of heated arguments between GRP constable Kuldeep Kumar and Army soldier”, they said. Meanwhile other GRP men guarding the railway station intervened and a clash broke out between them and the lone Army man. The GRP constables, sources claimed, brought the soldier to GRP police station and allegedly thrashed him, but in the meanwhile his colleague informed his officials on phone, who rushed to the spot with official weapons. Within minutes, a contingent of army soldiers armed with weapons, led by a Lieutenant Colonel, reached railway station Kathua and allegedly thrashed GRP men especially the Santri identified as Jarnail Singh, police said. The other GRP men fled from the spot while the army soldiers also ransacked the furniture and other items in the police station. They allegedly beat several policemen, while others waiting at the station, fearing injuries, ran away in panic, sources claimed. Police further claimed that while returning towards their regiment, the Army soldiers also made a Munshi (head-constable) Gulam Nabi hostage at gunpoint and carried him along with them. The GRP officials immediately communicated a message to SSP Kathua, who called Army officers and ensured the release of the cop. When contacted, SSP GRP Shiv Kumar told Greater Kashmir that an FIR has been lodged against Lieutenant Colonel of 225 field regiment under section 307, 148, 452, 364 RPC. He claimed that another FIR has been lodged against army soldier Deepak Kumar under section 353, 332 of RPC. “No arrest has been made so far but we have taken up the issue with railway authorities also,” he said.