Need Innovative Ways to Fight: Army Chief on Human Shield Incident

“When people are throwing stones and petrol bombs at us, I cannot tell my men just wait and die,” he said.

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat. (Photo: The Quint)

Army Chief Bipin Rawat, on 28 May, defended the incident where a Kashmiri man, Farooq Dar, was tied to an Army jeep and used as a human-shield during the 9 April Srinagar by-elections.

Troops need innovative ways to fight against the "dirty war" in Kashmir, Rawat told PTI.

When people are throwing stones and petrol bombs at us, I cannot tell my men just wait and die. I would have been happy if the protesters were firing weapons at the armed forces instead of throwing stones. Kashmir needs a composite solution, everybody will have to get involved.

Also Read: Kashmiri ‘Human Shield’ Was Instigating Stone-Pelters: Major Gogoi

Days after Major Leetul Gogoi was awarded a commendation certificate by the Indian army for the incident, Farooq Dar approached the Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Commission and filed two complaints.

In his complaint, Dar called Gogoi's act ‘illegal’, and as being “against the settled principles of international humanitarian law," reported Firstpost. Dar also expressed his displeasure at being referred to as a stone-pelter by three news channels, namely Republic TV, Times Now, and India Today.

Also Read: Civilians as Human Shields: High Time India Declares it Illegal

(With inputs from PTI.)