Don't prejudge without proof: Army chief

Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Saturday told the media to not "prejudge" things without proof in the alleged involvement of a soldier in the Bulandshahr violence in which a police officer and a civilian were killed.

"Do not prejudge events without evidence. Please come out with facts. If you have facts available, then judge," Gen Rawat said when asked for his comments after a soldier, Jitendra Malik. was accused of shooting the police officer dead during mob violence on December 3.

"Lot of times you people (media) have given evidence and based on that evidence investigations have been done. But do you have any evidence against that 'jawan' (Jitendra) so far?" the Army chief asked while speaking on the sidelines of the Delhi Horse Show.

Meanwhile, Jitendra Malik alias Jeetu Fauji was detained by his unit in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, Army sources said.

He was detained by the 22 Rashtriya Rifles in Sopore town. A special investigation team (SIT) of the Uttar Pradesh Police was expected to reach Sopore to take him into custody.

Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Syana, and a civilian, Sumit Kumar, were shot dead in Bulandshahr in mob violence on December 3. The violence has been blamed on rightwing Hindu groups which were protesting against cow slaughter.

--IANS

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