Jammu and Kashmir minister slaps officer

A senior Jammu and Kashmir officer was allegedly slapped by a minister and later thrashed by his supporters for being late to an official function just by two minutes.

Riyaz Ahmad Chowdhary, chief executive officer Kishtwar development authority, had a harrowing ordeal as he arrived late by two minutes at a reception point where Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was to be received by the minister of state for home, Sajad Ahmad Kitchloo, and officers of the district.

The chief minister, who had to fly to the mountainous district headquarters of Kishtwar, was to address a public meeting there.

“I was late just by two minutes. And as soon as the minister saw me he lunged towards me and landed a slap on my cheek and then followed it up by another slap,” Riyaz told Rediff.com.

He said, “As he tried to slap me again I told pretested, upon which the other people accompanying the minister too joined him and began thrashing me in front of other senior district officers. Somehow I managed to extricate myself and I have now lodged an FIR against the minister.”

“I am feeling humiliated following the ordeal in front of everybody,” he added.

Riyaz became emotional while narrating the incident to this correspondent.  

The chief minister later addressed the public meeting.