Army Jawan Arrested By Kerala Police For False Claim Of PFI 'Attack' On Him

An Indian Army soldier, Shine Kumar, and his friend were taken into custody on Tuesday for allegedly providing a false account of an assault by six miscreants who purportedly painted the letters 'PFI' on his back on Sunday night, according to the police. The incident was initially reported in Kadakkal town, located in Kollam district, prompting a police investigation based on the soldier's complaint.

Shine Kumar had claimed that he was attacked by a gang of six people in a rubber forest near his residence. He stated that they restrained him by taping his hands and used green paint to write 'PFI' on his back.

The statements of Shine Kumar and his friend were being documented, and further actions would be determined after their statements were verified.

Talking to PTI, a senior police officer disclosed that the soldier's friend had asserted that Kumar orchestrated the entire incident in an attempt to gain notoriety. He explained that the soldier had provided various reasons for making the false statement, which would need to be corroborated.

Additionally, the police recovered the green paint, brush, and tape supposedly used in the incident from the friend's residence.

The soldier's friend informed the media that Kumar had devised the entire scheme to gain fame. In providing details of what transpired, the friend claimed that Kumar had instructed him to inscribe 'PFI' on his back and to assault him.

"I was under the influence of alcohol, so I initially wrote 'DFI,' but he (Kumar) insisted on 'PFI.' So, I rewrote it as 'PFI.' Then he asked me to physically assault him, but I declined due to my intoxicated state," the friend narrated. "Subsequently, he instructed me to drag him on the ground and lie down, but in my inebriated state, I couldn't do so. Therefore, he requested that I tape his mouth and hands before leaving, which I complied with."

It's worth noting that 'PFI' is a common abbreviation for the banned Islamic organization Popular Front of India.