J&K cop arrested for terror links

In yet another incident of police-militant nexus in Jammu and Kashmir, police have arrested a sub-inspector for allegedly running a militant module in the state.

Sources said ‘encounter specialist’ sub-inspector Shiv Kumar Sharma was arrested in Doda district of Jammu region for his alleged involvement in militant activities. Sharma, they said, was instrumental in the killing of 68 militants in the militancy infested Doda-Kishtwar belt.

“He (Sharma) was running a militant module which was involved in a grenade attack on Thathri police station last month,” sources said. They added that his involvement came to the fore after five arrested militants allegedly involved in the Thathri police station grenade attack claimed during interrogation that Sharma provided weapons and explosive material to them.

A senior police officer told Deccan Herald that the module was planning to carry our political killings in the mountainous belt of Doda.

“He (Sharma) has received several awards including the President’s gallantry award,” he added.

Minister of State for Home Sajad Ahmed Kitchloo confirmed the arrest and said that the investigation was in progress.

Sharma had joined police as a Special Police Official (SPO) and had got two out-of-turn promotions to reach to the rank of sub-inspector. He was posted in Special Operations Group (SOG) in Kishtwar.

Last year in June J&K police arrested four of its constables who were found to be on a mission to allegedly orchestrate terror strikes to create chaos and mayhem in the state in nexus with militants.

The arrested cops were taking money from militant outfit-Hizbul Mujahideen in lieu of carrying weapons and providing sensitive information about the movement of police officers.

Similarly, in August last year, police had arrested Abdul Rashid Shigan, personal security officer (PSO) of a senior superintendent of police and another policeman for carrying an assassination bid on state’s law and parliamentary affairs minister, Ali Mohammad Sagar, and 12 other terror attacks in Srinagar.