india

Updated: Mar 31, 2019 17:38 IST

Jammu and Kashmir police have registered a case against former judge and National Conference leader Syed Tauqeer Ahmad after a video showing him inciting violence against forest department officials while addressing a rally in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district few days back went viral.

National Conference also rapped Tauqeer on the knuckles and told him to exercise more care when choosing his words.

Deputy inspector general of police, South Kashmir, Atul Goel said Sunday that they have registered a case against Tauqeer at police station Larnoo in Kokernag.

“The case has been registered in context of the recent video,” Goel said but did not divulge further details.

In the 24-second video that has been widely shared on social media since Friday, Tauqeer, who is NC’s in-charge of Kokernag Assembly constituency, is seen asking people to use violence against forest officials if they close a particular road.

“Somebody was whispering in my ear that forest people are blocking a road here. You have my go-ahead that if anybody approaches, you chop-off their limbs and then I will manage the rest,” he is heard saying in the video to a round of applause from those present.

“You start (using your) rights over forest from now on. There are few months to government formation, tell them that NC’s nominated candidate has given us the permission,” Tauqeer goes on to say in his speech.

Tauqeer was Principal and Sessions Judge, Anantnag and joined NC on March 17 after voluntary retirement.

He is tipped to be the National Conference candidate from Kokernag constituency in the assembly elections.

National Conference, in a statement on Twitter, said that the party does not endorse “this sort of language or these sorts of threats “.

“Syed Tauqeer has been spoken to and advised to exercise more care when choosing his words. We have been assured by him that this was a momentary lapse in the heat of moment and will not be repeated. We hope the matter is allowed to end here,” the statement said.