“My little kids prevented me from committing suicide. A police officer humiliated and tortured me to that extent that I had planned to end my life. I am being implicated in false cases because I was instrumental in getting a police officer caught red-handed demanding and accepting bribe at the hands of State Vigilance Organization,” this was stated by a government teacher during a protest here in Press Enclave Srinagar.Scores of residents from Gadool village of Kokarnag area in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district accompanying the government teacher Farooq Ahmed Magray posted at Government Middle School Gadool assembled here and staged massive protest against Station House Officer Kokarnag. Demanding immediate transfer and action against the said police officer the protesters alleged that he has let loose a reign of terror in his jurisdiction and has been minting money from the innocent people through some brokers.The Government teacher while displaying torture marks on his body told news agency CNS that he became a soft target of the police after he got a police sub-inspector arrested at the hands of Vigilance Organization.
“I am being called to police station Kokarnag on daily basis and recently during agitation a retired Assistant Sub-Inspector informed me that SHO Kokarnag is intending to book you under Public Safety Act and demanded Rs 50,000 to save the skin. I afforded only Rs 10,000,” he claimed and added that after few day’s this ‘police broker’ again approached him and demanded more money. “When I refused to pay anything, I was booked in a criminal case. SHO Kokarnag refused to accept the bail granted by the court. It was hell like situation when the SHO awarded ‘murga punishment’ to me as I was a student. After becoming ‘murga’ I was mercilessly beaten up. The SHO Kokarnag while assaulting me physically continuously asked me never to approach court in future,” the government teacher said.I faced humiliation. The physical torture took tall on my health. I fail to understand what I have done and why I am being implicated in different cases,” Farooq Ahmed told reporters.Terming the allegations baseless, Station House Officer Kokarnag Tariq Yousuf told CNS that more than 8 cases stand registered against the teacher since 2002 in the police station and most of the cases are related to section 354 (outraging modesty of woman) and rioting. He said Farooq Ahmed was a former militant and had been also booked under 7/25 Arms Act. Recently, he was arrested for beating up a woman. The bail he submitted was not valid. There is nothing personal against him,” he said. (CNS)