HATTAIN BALA (Kashmir English): The Jhelum Valley Police have arrested three men accused of kidnapping and brutally torturing two youths for allegedly harassing women in Kona village of Chinari.
According to police, the suspects, identified as Mudassar, Muneeb, and Sujawal Shabbir aka Mathu, along with several others, allegedly abducted Anas Afzal and Mazhar Mahmood, both residents of Kona.
The video went viral on social media showed that shoes were tied around the victims’ necks, and their faces were painted black. They were beaten severely, had their hair and beards shaved, and were subjected to inhumane torture, including burning of their bodies and sensitive parts.
After being kept in detention for about twelve hours, the victims were handed over to their heirs. The injured victims are under treatment at a local hospital, where their condition is said to be critical, police said.
According to the police, the suspect, Mudassar, had alleged that both the victims were involved in harassing and blocking the paths of women, taking the law into their own hands.
Police said a government school teacher allegedly involved in the incident has obtained interim bail from the court until November 10, while the three arrested suspects were remanded in police custody until November 8 after being presented in court.
Several other accused remain at large, and police have launched efforts for their arrest.
Authorities have condemned the incident, calling it a heinous act of vigilantism, and have assured that a transparent investigation will be conducted to ensure justice.
