Kashmir official alleges assault by minister

Jammu, April 18 (IANS) A senior Jammu and Kashmir government official Thursday alleged that he was assaulted by a minister and his employees for being late for a meeting.

Riyaz Ahmad Choudhary, chief executive officer of the Kishtwar Development Authority, told IANS over telephone that Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo slapped him repeatedly when he got late by a few minutes in reaching the Kishtwar tourist reception centre where the minister had called him for a meeting Thursday morning.

“He (Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo) slapped me three times. When I resisted, his men started beating me. I was saved after police intervened,” Choudhary said.

According to the officer, he was giving final touches to a power point presentation to be shown to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was to visit Kishtwar later in the day.

“Since I was giving final shape to a power point presentation, I got late by just five minutes,” Choudhary said.

The Kishtwar Development Authority CEO later sent a written complaint to police. “They (police) have acknowledged my complaint but I am told that no FIR (first information report) has been registered in the case despite my request for it.”

Contacted for comments, the Kishtwar police chief said: “Please call the senior police officers on this. We will not be able to tell you anything at this level.”

Despite repeated attempts, Kichloo was not available for his comment on the issue.

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