JAMMU: An army spokesman described as “absurd and motivated” the allegation of two British ladies that they were molested by security personnel in Srinagar on August 1.
The spokesman said the two British ladies, accompanied by two male escorts, were caught in a cordon-and-search operation conducted by the army in Alikadal and Zainakadal area of Srinagar about 8 a.m. on August I. Being foreigners, both the ladies were asked to go but their escorts were interrogated to establish their identity.
The spokesman said the ladies chose to stay on and sought immediate release of one of their escorts, Mond Ayub Bhatiyan which was politely turned down,
He acknowledged having illegally crossed over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (Pok) in November 1990 from Kupwara sector with a group of 70 militants with Alindon as their leader.
Later they sneaked back into Kashmir in April 1991 after under going training.
Realizing that the screening process will be long, the ladies left the scene at about 1 p.m., he said.
The spokesman further said the ladies alleged in the first information report lodged at the police Station that they were molested by two security personnel! at 12:30 p.m. but lodged the report at9.a.m-
On August 2 the SSP Srinagar accompanied by S. P. city (south), took the British ladies in the police station at Nehru Park to investigate the allegations.
Article extracted from this publication >> Aug 21, 1992
