Srinagar,May 23 : The police today detained Major Leetul Gogoi, who was in news last year for tying a man to his jeep allegedly as a human shield, along with a local girl from a hotel in Srinagar. Police sources said  legal proceedings have been initiated against Gogoi, who is posted n central Kashmir’s Budgam area.

According to the police spokesman, at around 11 a.m. the police station at Khanyar received a call from Hotel Grand Mamta that an altercation had taken place at the hotel. Police sources say a minor girl along with a man came to meet the Major who had already checked in but the hotel manager did not allow the girl to the room and that triggered altercation.

The police then deputed a police party to the hotel, and it surfaced that "one woman and a person namely Sameer Ahmed of Budgam" had come to see some persons. "But the hotel receptionists did not allow them to meet the person.

The source said the police party reached the spot and got all the persons to the police Station.

Subsequently it was learned that the girl had come to meet an army officer. "The identity and particulars of the army officer has been collected by the police.The Major was handed over to his unit after duly recording his statement. The statement of the girl is also being recorded for probing the matter."

Recently, Gogoi was honoured with the Army chief's 'Commendation Card' for his 'sustained efforts' in counter- insurgency operations.

The award for Gogoi is seen as a backing of the action of the officer belonging to the 53 Rashtriya Rifles even as the Army maintained that a court of inquiry (CoI)into the incident is "under finalisation".

A video, showing the man tied to the Army vehicle during polling in the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-election on April 9, had triggered a public outcry, prompting the force to institute a probe.

The sources said Major Gogoi was given the award during Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat's visit to Jammu and Kashmir last week.

The Army chief's 'Commendation Card' is considered a prestigious award and is given for distinguished services and devotion to duty.

The CoI was tasked with a probe into the circumstances that prompted Major Gogoi to tie the Kashmiri youth to the jeep's bonnet as a "human shield".

courtesy: outlookindia.com

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New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.

The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.

In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.

In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.

Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.

"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.

He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.

Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.

"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.

He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.

"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.

According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.

As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.

A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.

The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.

It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.

The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.

It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.