Jammu and Kashmir: Jammu and Kashmir Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the Commanding Officer of 17 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), a Major, a Naib Subedar, and around 30–40 Army personnel over an alleged clash at Atholi Police Station in Kishtwar district. The Indian Army has confirmed that the matter is under official examination and has assured full cooperation with the investigation.
Background of Kishtwar Police Station Clash
According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, the incident took place on June 24, 2026, in the Padder area of Kishtwar district. Police officials said they stopped a private vehicle allegedly linked to the Army after it reportedly obstructed the official convoy of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kishtwar Pankaj Kumar Sharma on a narrow mountain road. The driver was also accused of rash driving and failing to produce valid vehicle documents. The vehicle was then taken to Atholi Police Station for verification.
Read also: No Pension Without Vigilance Clearance: MHA Issues Fresh Directive for AGMUT IAS and IPS Officers
Police say that after the vehicle was impounded, Army officials contacted the police station requesting its release. According to the police version, the vehicle was ordered to be released after its Army connection was confirmed. However, police allege that shortly afterwards, a group of Army personnel arrived at the station, leading to the confrontation.
The FIR registered at Atholi Police Station alleges that around 30–40 Army personnel entered the police station premises. Police claim the group climbed over the main gate and boundary wall before entering the station.
The FIR further alleges that several police officers were assaulted and government property was damaged during the incident. These allegations are now part of the ongoing investigation and have not yet been proven in court.
Kishtwar Police Station Clash: Who Has Been Named in the FIR
According to the FIR, those named include:
- Colonel N. Arun Gandhi, Commanding Officer of 17 Rashtriya Rifles
- Major Vikash Sharma
- Naib Subedar Shankar Gurkhe
- Sepoy Raj Kumar
- Sepoy Rahul Kumar
- Sepoy Anoop Singh
- Sepoy Omkar Ingale
- Around 30–40 unidentified Army personnel
Kishtwar Police Station Clash: What were the Allegations Made by Police
The FIR alleges that the group:
- Entered the police station without permission.
- Assaulted police personnel on duty.
- Injured several officers.
- Damaged government vehicles.
- Destroyed parts of the police station.
- Attempted to cause serious injuries to police personnel.
These allegations are currently under investigation.
Kishtwar Police Station Clash: Police Officials Reportedly Injured
According to the FIR, the following officials were among those affected:
- SHO Inspector Amrit Kotach
- SDPO Vijay Kumar Bhagat
- SPO Suresh Kumar
- Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) of Kishtwar
- Security personnel accompanying the ARTO
Kishtwar Police Station Clash: Sections Applied in the FIR
The FIR includes provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to:
- Unlawful assembly
- Rioting
- Criminal trespass
- Assault on public servants
- Causing hurt and grievous hurt
- Attempt to murder
- Criminal intimidation
- Damage to public property
It also includes provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
Official Statement by the Indian Army
The Indian Army has not commented on the allegations themselves. In an official statement, Jammu-based Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Suneel Bartwal said the matter is under examination through appropriate institutional mechanisms. The Army stated that:
- It will fully cooperate with the legal process.
- Appropriate action will depend on the findings of the investigation.
- It would be premature to make further comments while the inquiry is ongoing.
Current Status
According to official information cited by multiple reports, a joint investigation or Court of Inquiry is expected to examine:
- The vehicle seizure.
- The sequence of events.
- The alleged confrontation.
- Actions taken by all parties involved.
As of now, no arrests have been officially reported.
Who is Deputy Commissioner of Kishtwar Pankaj Kumar Sharma
Pankaj Kumar Sharma is a senior administrator belonging to the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS). As of 2026, he serves as the Deputy Commissioner (DC), and District Development Commissioner of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir.
Career & Administrative Profile
Over his tenure in the state bureaucracy, Sharma has built a reputation for hands-on governance and transparency. He has held several critical positions across various departments prior to taking the helm at Kishtwar:
- Excise Commissioner: He previously served as the Excise Commissioner of Jammu and Kashmir, overseeing revenue management and enforcement policies.
- Secretariat Roles: He has worked in executive capacities, including serving as an Additional Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat and as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in major infrastructure ministries like PHE, Irrigation, and Flood Control.
- DC of Kishtwar: Upon taking charge as the Deputy Commissioner of Kishtwar, he prioritized responsive public administration, fast-tracking public development funds (like CDF and MPLAD), and enhancing rural infrastructure.
Key Governance Focus
In Kishtwar, Sharma’s administrative agenda primarily centers around:
- Infrastructure & Health: Streamlining the delivery of grassroots health programs and updating key performance indicators across rural medical sectors.
- Anti-Drug Initiatives: Actively leading local interventions under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (Substance-Free India Campaign), treating rehabilitation as a primary focus by providing socio-economic avenues like livelihood loans to recovering individuals.
Read also: Mukesh Singh The IIT Engineer Who Entered India’s Toughest Battlefields to Lead Ladakh Police
