Rajouri, July 31: Police in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district have booked four individuals, including a government teacher, for allegedly fabricating a false narrative of custodial torture and circulating it on social media.
The entire incident revolves around a photograph that was circulated on social media a few days ago, showing a man–Mohammad Arif, son of Mohammad Bashir, a resident of Gundi, Khawa–with blood on his chin and other parts of his mouth. It was claimed that he had been beaten and subjected to torture at the Khawas police post in Rajouri, resulting in severe injuries, including the breaking of three of his teeth
Soon after the matter came into the public domain, the District Police Office Rajouri initiated a probe, with Superintendent of Police (SP) Operations Budhal, Wajahat Hussain, appointed as the inquiry officer, said an official.
He began an in-depth investigation into the matter to ascertain the facts and verify the claims of torture and beating made by the alleged victim.
However, police officials said that during the probe, it was found that the entire claim was baseless and part of a concocted story. The probe revealed that it was not only was a false claim of torture in police custody peddled, but even a coloring agent was applied to the face of the alleged victim to make it appear as blood stains and injury markss.
After the probe, the police have taken cognizance of the matter, and a case under FIR No. 78/2025 has been registered at Police Station Budhal under relevant sections of law.
Police said that four people, including a government teacher, have been booked in the case. They include the alleged victim, Mohammad Arif, son of Mohammad Bashir, resident of Gundi, Tehsil Khawas; Sarfaraz Ahmed, son of Mohammad Arif, resident of Gundi, Tehsil Khawas; Shakil Ahmed, son of Kala, resident of Gundi, Tehsil Khawas; and government teacher Mohammad Ashraf, son of Mohammad Rafiq, resident of Gundi, Tehsil Khawas
Police also said that further legal proceedings and investigation into the matter are underway.
