Major Nitin Leetul Gogoi, who made headlines last year for using a civilian as human shield to ward off stone pelters, was arrested by police after an altercation with a hotel staff in Srinagar who refused to allow him to check in with a woman.
Major Gogoi had booked the room online and filled the details about himself. When he provided the details of the woman checking in with him, he was told that locals are not allowed to stay in the hotel, leading to an argument between him and guest relationship manager. Major Gogoi's driver, Sameer Ahmed also joined in.
The hotel then called the police who took Major Gogoi and Ahmed into custody.
The officer was later handed over to his unit, 53 Rashtriya Rifles.
“The identity and particulars of the Army officer have been collected by the police as well. The officials were handed over to their unit after due recording of their statements. The statement of a woman is also being recorded for probing the matter,” a police spokesperson said. The matter is being probed by the police, the spokesperson added.
Gogoi had tied shawl weaver Farooq Ahmed Dar of Chilbras in Budgam to an Army jeep on April 9 when bypolls for Srinagar-Budgam Lok Sabha elections were held, to ward off stone pelters. Dar was on his way to condole the death of a relative when Army seized him and strapped to the bonnet of the jeep and paraded him for 11 km.
He was later released after the village elders of Chilbras went to the camp where he was being held.
Gogoi later said he used Dar as a human shield to rescue the polling staff at a polling booth which was under attack from stone pelters.
Gogoi was felicitated by Army Chief Bipin Rawat for his exemplary role in anti-militancy operations.