Jammu, November 10(KNB): The simmering tensions between law enforcement and the civil administration in Jammu and Kashmir escalated sharply today after the Jammu and Kashmir Police ordered the immediate transfer of Deputy SP Sunil Jasrotia.
Officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) have launched a mass casual leave protest following an alleged incident of physical assault and harassment involving a Block Development Officer (BDO) of Nagrota, who was reportedly overseeing election duty.
The protest, outlined in a letter addressed to The Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, expresses “deep anguish and strong protest” over the incident. The officers claim the BDO was allegedly assaulted and harassed by the concerned SDPO while performing official duties related to the ongoing election process, specifically “Naib Qasid (Transport) under lawful electoral orders.”
The letter, undersigned by multiple JKAS officers, asserts that the BDO, despite being in a sensitive role and under “high-pressure electoral assignment,” is facing “physical assault and subsequent harassment through registration of a false and fabricated FIR.”
The officers argue that such conduct is “not only unwarranted and unjustifiable, but also deeply demotivating for officers who are working diligently to ensure the smooth and impartial conduct of elections and other public duties.”
Stating that the incident has “severely shaken the morale of the entire JKAS fraternity,” the officers have raised serious concerns regarding the safety, dignity, and institutional protection of civil officers performing statutory and election-related functions.
In solidarity with their colleague, the JKAS officers have resolved to proceed on mass casual leave “with immediate effect.” They are calling for “stern and visible action” against the erring officer(s) and demand that “adequate safeguards are put in place to prevent recurrence of such incidents.”
The letter concludes with a plea to the Lieutenant Governor for “kind and immediate intervention to uphold the dignity of the civil service, restore officer confidence, and ensure that administrative functioning remains free from intimidation and abuse.”(KNB)