He (Mr Dar) had cast his vote, says the two-page police report

The police inquiry into the ‘human shield case’ has revealed that it was an incident of “wrongful confinement” of a civilian “who had cast his vote” on the day he was tied to the bonnet of an Army vehicle in Budgam.

“During the investigation, it came to surface that Mr. Dar cast his vote at a polling booth in his native village of Chill. After casting his vote he, along with Hilal Ahmad Magrey, left for a condolence meeting to Gampora,” said the two-page police report.

The report said that as Mr. Dar left the Gampora village and reached Utligam crossing, “he was lifted by the Army during stone pelting and was tied to bonnet of the Army vehicle as human shield under threat.”

It pointed out that it was a “wrongful confinement” by the Army officer.

The report was submitted to State DGP S.P. Vaid in August.

Huge furore

The viral video of the victim, a weaver of shawls weaver by profession, created a furore in and outside J&K.

The video was apparently shot on April 9, when the by-poll for the Parliamentary seat of Srinagar was being held in central Kashmir.

The area had witnessed fierce stone-throwing from local protesters all day.

The victim was allegedly “driven around the whole day on the bonnet and paraded through several villages”.