Army Stands with Kargil Veteran’s Family Targeted by Hindutva Organisations in Pune
Chandan Nagar, 31st July 2025: In a show of solidarity, members of the ex-servicemen community visited the home of Kargil war veteran Hakimuddin on Wednesday, days after his family reported being harassed by a group allegedly affiliated with a right-wing Hindutva organisation.
According to the family, the visit came after some confusion about the veteran’s status. “There was a miscommunication initially. Two jawans and a senior member of the Army Engineers regiment’s ex-servicemen association heard that my uncle had been arrested. They first went to the police station to verify the information and then came to our residence,” said Nawab Ali Shaikh, Hakimuddin’s nephew.
He added that once the facts were clarified, the officers extended moral support to the family. “They not only stood with us but also advised full cooperation with the police. The director from the association had earlier served with my uncle and came specifically to offer help,” Shaikh said.
The show of support followed the registration of an FIR by Pune police against seven identified individuals and several others for alleged unlawful assembly and intimidation. The complaint stems from a late-night incident on Saturday midnight in Chandan Nagar, where a mob allegedly stormed the home of Hakimuddin’s family, accusing them of being Bangladeshi nationals.
According to the complaint, the intruders demanded identification documents, including Aadhaar cards, and questioned the family’s citizenship status despite their well-documented service in the Indian Armed Forces.
Police officials confirmed that the case is being investigated under relevant sections of the law pertaining to unlawful assembly, criminal intimidation, and trespassing.
The incident has sparked outrage among many in Pune’s veteran and civil society circles, raising questions about vigilantism, targeted harassment, and the dignity accorded to retired military personnel.
