Major Gogoi, who paraded a ‘human shield’, detained after row in Srinagar hotel

The J&K police on Wednesday ordered a probe following the detention of Major Litul Gogoi, who was at the centre of the controversy over tying a civilian to the bonnet of the Army jeep last year, from a Srinagar hotel.

A woman and a Budgam resident, accompanying the Major, were also detained.

The police received a call from a hotel around 11 a.m. that an altercation had taken place there.

“It surfaced that one woman (name withheld) and Sameer Ahmed of Budgam had come to meet an Army officer,” said the police.

Major Gogoi was taken to the Srinagar’s District Police Lines, where top police officials operate, “for questioning.”

According to the hotel ledger, Major Gogoi had booked a room for a night for two guests in the hotel and checked in on Wednesday morning.

“One Kashmiri girl along with another person wanted to meet the officer. The hotel policy does not allow locals to stay here. We objected to the entry of the girl, who was around 16-years-old,” said the receptionist at the Mamata Hotel. “When we refused the entry, Major Gogoi went outside and had altercation with our employee. We called up police,” he added.

Major Gogoi was in the eye of the storm when he paraded a civilian Farooq Ahmed Dar of Chill Brass in Beerwah on the bonnet of his vehicle on April 9 2017 during the by-elections to escape stone-throwers. However, Army chief General Bipin Rawat issued a commendation card to the Major.