Major Gogoi, who had tied civilian to moving jeep, held for creating ruckus in hotel to stay with minor girl

Srinagar, May 24: Major Litul Gogoi, who was at the centre of the controversy over tying a civilian to the bonnet of a moving Army jeep last year, this time arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police for creating ruckus in a hotel.

According to police the army officer turned violent while arguing with a Srinagar hotel staff who refused to allow a minor girl stay in a room booked by the army officer. The girl and a Budgam resident, who had brought the girl to the hotel, were also detained.

The police received a call from Hotel Grand Mamta, Dalgate, around 11 a.m. yesterday that an altercation had taken place there. “It surfaced that one girl (name withheld) and Sameer Ahmed of Budgam had come to meet an Army officer,” said the police.

Major Gogoi was taken to the Srinagar’s District Police Lines, where top police officials operate, “for questioning.” According to the hotel ledger, Major Gogoi had booked a room for a night for two persons (including him) in the hotel and checked in on Wednesday morning.

“One Kashmiri girl wanted to meet the officer. The hotel staffer grew suspicious about the girl who was apparently a minor. He asked for her identity document. The girl after some hesitation produced an Aadhar card. After learning about who she was, the receptionist put his foot down and told the army officer that the hotel’s policy didn’t allow him to let a local girl stay in the hotel,” the hotel staffers said.

“When we refused the entry, Major Gogoi went outside and had altercation with our employee. We called up police,” they added.

Major Gogoi was in the eye of the storm when he paraded a civilian Farooq Ahmed Dar of Chill Brass in Beerwah on the bonnet of his vehicle on April 9 2017 during the by-elections. However, Army chief General Bipin Rawat issued a commendation card to the Major claiming that he resorted to such an act to escape stone-throwers.