Wanted to be militant after ‘torture’ by army officer, his senior restored faith in system: J&K MLA – Times of India

SRINAGAR: National Conference MLA Qaiser Jamshaid Lone on Friday said he wanted to become a militant after he was “tortured and humiliated” by an army officer in a crackdown as a teenager, but a senior officer’s action restored his faith in the system. The senior army officer spoke to him and then reprimanded the junior officer for his conduct, Lone said while participating in the motion of thanks to the lieutenant governor’s speech in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
The incident showed how dialogue can solve problems, the Lolab MLA said.
“There was a crackdown in my area when I was young. I must have been a 10th standard student. There were 32 youths, including myself, who were singled out for interrogation,” he said.
Lone claimed that an army officer asked him about a youth who had joined terrorists. “I said yes, I know him because he lived in our neighborhood. I was beaten up for that. Then he asked me if the terrorist was present during the crackdown. I answered in the negative and I was beaten up again,” said the man. ruling party. MLA said.
He said a senior officer later arrived on the scene and spoke to him.
“He asked me, ‘what do you want to be in life?’ I told him that I wanted to become a militant. He asked me the reason and I told him about the torture I had undergone,” the NC leader said.
Lone said the senior officer publicly reprimanded his junior, restoring his “faith in the system.” He said he later learned that of the 32 youths questioned, 27 had joined the militant group.