JHELUM VALLEY (Kashmir English): The Azad Kashmir Education Department on Wednesday suspended three elementary school teachers in connection with the case related to the torture of three youths in Kona village of Chinari.
The official notification stated that the Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education AJK approved the suspension of elementary teachers on the recommendation of Superintendent of Police (SP) Jhelum Valley, following a preliminary investigation.
Earlier on Monday, SP Jhelum Valley Syed Abbas Ali wrote a letter to the District Education Office Jhelum Valley, requesting the suspension of three teachers, citing their involvement in the investigation at Police Station Chinari.
The suspended teachers include Siddique from Boys Middle School Kona, Arif from Boys Middle School Kona, and Sagheer from Boys High School Batangi.
The education department notification stated, “The suspensions have been made under Rule 6(1) of the AJK Civil Servants Efficiency and Discipline Rules, 1977, in reference to case No. 82/25, involving offences under sections 34, 506, 337, 342, 324, and 489-PC.”
As per the notification, the suspended teachers “will receive half of their salary allowances during the suspension period.”
Earlier this week, the Jhelum Valley Police arrested three men accused of kidnapping and brutally torturing three youths for allegedly harassing women in 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.
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.
The video went viral on social media, showing 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 critical, police said.
Police said that several other accused remain at large, and they have launched efforts for their arrest.
