Back

Pulwama mosque incident: 1 officer removed from duty; Army, police continue probe

1 min read 27 Jun 2023, 07:37 AM IST Staff Writer

An officer in Jammu and Kashmir has been removed from duty after a patrol party allegedly forced Muslims at a mosque to raise slogans. Villagers have claimed that soldiers beat the crowd and forced them to chant 'Jai Shri Ram' slogan.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducts searches in Pulwama district (PTI) — The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducts searches in Pulwama district **(PTI)**

Jammu and Kashmir security forces have confirmed that they have removed the officer from duty after a patrol party allegedly forced Muslims at a mosque to raise "Jai Shri Ram" and "Bharat Mata ki Jai" slogans.

Some villagers have alleged that soldiers beat the crowd and forced them to chant 'Jai Shri Ram' slogan.

The incident took place on Saturday at Zadoora village in Pulwama district.

Meanwhile, several Jammu and Kashmir political leaders, including three former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah, and Ghulam Nabi Azad have demanded a probe into the matter.

The Army and police have remained tight-lipped but agencies have said that the internal investigation is on.

National Conference vice president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted that "reports of security force personnel entering a mosque in Zadoora in Pulwama are deeply distressing. It's bad enough they entered but then forcing people to chant" religious slogans as reported by the locals it is unacceptable.

"I hope @rajnathsingh ji (defence minister) will issue instructions for these reports to be investigated in a timely & transparent manner," he said.

Reports of security force personnel entering a mosque in Zadoora in Pulwama are deeply distressing. It’s bad enough they entered but then forcing people to chant slogans like “Jai Shree Ram as reported by the locals there, is unacceptable. I hope @rajnathsingh ji will issue… pic.twitter.com/POyuN3srA3
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 25, 2023

PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti wrote, " Shocked to hear about army troops from 50 RR storming into a mosque at Pulwama & forcing Muslims inside to chant".

"Such a move when @AmitShah (Home Minister) is here & that too ahead of (Amarnath) yatra is simply an act of provocation," she said and demanded an immediate probe into the incident.

Shocked to hear about army troops from 50 RR storming into a mosque at Pulwama & forcing muslims inside to chant ‘Jai Shree Ram’. Such a move when @AmitShah is here & that too ahead of yatra is simply an act of provocation. Request @RgGhai to immediately set up a probe.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) June 24, 2023

Democratic Progressive Azad Party chairman and former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad also condemned the alleged incident and urged the government to investigate the matter.

"I strongly condemn reports of the alleged Pulwama mosque incident. At this point these are allegations but we must immediately get to the bottom of this matter," he said in a statement here.

"Such things are neither in our culture nor allowed under the law," he said, urging the government to investigate the incident and take strictest action against those responsible.