A man, reportedly taken into custody by security forces in Poonch, has recounted a harrowing experience, alleging that he and other detainees were subjected to stripping, beatings, and the application of chili powder on their wounds until they lost consciousness. Speaking from his hospital bed, Mohammad Ashraf (52) claimed that he and four others were apprehended by security forces last week, who allegedly removed their clothes and assaulted them with lathis and iron rods while rubbing chili powder on their wounds.
The incident occurred following a militant ambush in Poonch that resulted in the death of four Army soldiers. Ashraf and four others, including Farooq Ahmed (45), Fazal Hussain (50), and Hussain’s nephews Mohammad Betab (25) and a 15-year-old, were admitted to Government Medical College Hospital in Rajouri on Saturday, with Ashraf identifying himself as the person in a viral video depicting the alleged abuse by Army personnel.
Ashraf, a lineman with J&K’s Power Development Department, expressed his inability to sleep due to the trauma, describing the persistent pain and haunting thoughts of torture. Hailing from Hasbalote village in Rajouri district, he supports his three children after the recent death of his wife.
All five individuals admitted to the hospital suffer from “soft tissue injuries,” according to a doctor, and are currently unable to stand or sit up properly. Ashraf claimed that they were forcibly taken from their homes, had their mobile phones confiscated, and were subjected to brutal beatings and chili powder application at the hands of security forces.
The 15-year-old victim, a student in class 10, alleged that during questioning, security personnel accused him of providing food to militants, referencing a feast at his house eight days before the militant attack. Mohammad Betab, a laborer, claimed that he was also beaten and has nearly no skin left on his upper body. He asserted that he, along with his brother and uncle Fazal Hussain, was picked up by a police party from their home in Thanamandi, only to be released after three hours with instructions to report to the police station the next day.
