By Jehangir Ali
Srinagar: A group of religious preachers was attacked in the presence of police officials in Kathua district, prompting the Jammu and Kashmir police to suspend eight police officials on Friday (October 24) for alleged dereliction of duties.
The action came after the accused officials including a sub-inspector were filmed watching a group of unidentified men, some of them wearing masks, pounce with iron rods and sticks on a passenger mini-bus in the Juthana area of Kathua.
The Kathua police have filed a first information report in connection with the incident, including under sections of the Arms Act, and at least one person has been arrested.
The video of the attack, which went viral on social media, shows at least four or five attackers smashing the front windshield glass and a side-view mirror of the bus, which was carrying a group of ten to 15 Christian preachers.
Some of the attackers are seen proceeding to deal with the passengers inside the vehicle as a group of policemen watch the violent spectacle without doing much to stop the attack.
Only one police official is seen trying unsuccessfully to stop an attacker who opened the door of the bus.
Anguished screams including those of females emerging from the vehicle are heard as the attacker pounces on a passenger on the front seat after opening the door, punching and kicking him, while another attacker in the background demands to see “other males”.
Kathua senior superintendent of police (SSP) Mohita Sharma said that the group of preachers had been invited by some locals to the area.
According to reports, rumours that the missionaries were attempting to convert the residents of the area to Christianity started doing the rounds there, which is believed to have triggered the attack.
SSP Sharma said that four or five men were involved and one of them, identified as Ravindra Singh Thela, has been arrested.
According to reports, Thela and his other associates have multiple FIRs registered against them in the Jammu division.
This story was originally published in thewire.in. Read the full story here.