Clash at Kishtwar: FIR Filed Against 17 RR Army Officers and Soldiers for Police Station Incident

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against the Commanding Officer of the 17 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), a Major, a Naib Subedar, and approximately 30-40 other Army personnel. The charges pertain to an alleged incident where these individuals forcefully entered Atholi Police Station in the remote Padder area of Kishtwar district, assaulting police officials, inflicting damage to government property, and attempting to inflict serious injuries.

The event took place on the afternoon of June 24, 2026. In response, the Indian Army has stated that the matter is being reviewed through designated institutional mechanisms, with a promise of full cooperation in any joint investigation.

The incident reportedly stemmed from the interception of an Army-associated private vehicle on a narrow mountain road in Padder. The vehicle was stopped due to supposed reckless driving, obstructing the convoy of Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma, who was traveling to Gulabgarh for an official engagement.

Involved police personnel, including the Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO), impounded the vehicle after the driver allegedly failed to provide valid documents and engaged in abusive language. The vehicle was taken to Atholi Police Station for verification, considering both traffic violations and potential security threats in the sensitive region.

Reports suggest the Commanding Officer of the 17 RR contacted the police station to reclaim the vehicle. Upon verifying its Army link, the police were instructed to release it immediately. Nevertheless, shortly afterward, a large group of Army personnel reportedly arrived at the station.

The FIR filed at Atholi Police Station on June 25, 2026, characterizes the event as a "pre-planned attack" ordered by Colonel N. Arun Gandhi, Commanding Officer of the 17 RR, stationed at Camp Kijayee.

It alleges involvement of around 30-40 Army personnel, led by Major Vikash Sharma and Naib Subedar Shankar Gurkhe, who allegedly arrived armed with lathis, iron rods, and service weapons. They reportedly entered the police station by climbing over the main gate and boundary walls.

Inside, the personnel are accused of assaulting police officials, including:

• Station House Officer (SHO) Inspector Amrit Kotach, whose uniform was allegedly torn.
• Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Vijay Kumar Bhagat.
• Special Police Officer (SPO) Suresh Kumar, who allegedly sustained serious injuries after being struck on the neck with a rifle butt.
• The ARTO of Kishtwar and his security officers.

Several other police officials reportedly suffered injuries. The FIR also claims that the group vandalized official vehicles belonging to the SDPO, SHO, and ARTO, damaged the police station's main gate, and caused other destruction of public property.

The FIR mentions various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), covering unlawful assembly and rioting, criminal trespass, causing hurt and grievous hurt, assault on public servants, attempted murder, criminal intimidation, and destruction of public property. It also includes sections from the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

Named individuals in the FIR include Colonel N. Arun Gandhi, Major Vikash Sharma, Naib Subedar Shankar Gurkhe, Sepoy Raj Kumar, Sepoy Rahul Kumar, Sepoy Anoop Singh, and Sepoy Omkar Ingale, along with 30-40 unidentified Army personnel.

Jammu-based Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Suneel Bartwal stated: "The matter relates to an FIR registered by local police in Atholi, Kishtwar. It is under examination through appropriate institutional mechanisms. The Indian Army will provide full cooperation in the legal process. Appropriate actions will be taken based on the findings of a joint investigation. It would be premature to comment further while investigations are ongoing."

Army sources suggest that a joint investigation or Court of Inquiry may examine the sequence of events, including the vehicle seizure and subsequent escalation. No arrests have been reported thus far.

Kishtwar district, situated in the Chenab Valley, is a strategically significant area affected by militancy, where Rashtriya Rifles units, including the 17 RR, conduct counter-insurgency operations. Incidents like this highlight the challenges of coordination between the Army and civil police in remote, high-altitude operational zones.

A similar confrontation between Army personnel and police occurred in Kupwara district in May 2024, also resulting in an FIR.

The investigation into the FIR is ongoing, managed by local police authorities. The Army has pledged full cooperation with the legal proceedings and any joint inquiry. Senior officials from both sides are expected to review the findings once the investigation progresses.

This incident underscores the necessity for effective protocols to handle inter-agency disputes swiftly and transparently, particularly in sensitive border and insurgency-prone areas where coordinated civil-military action is essential for operational efficiency and public trust.

Further updates are expected as the investigation continues.