J&K police start probe in rifle decamping case

The Jammu and Kashmir police sprung to action a day after a police personnel, SPO Adil Bashir, posted with a legislator, fled with at least eight weapons in Srinagar. The police on Saturday questioned the personal security guards of PDP legislator Aijaz Mir.

Special Police Officer (SPO) Adil Bashir, posted with Mir, fled with seven AK-47 rifles of colleagues and a licensed pistol of the legislator, from his official residence in Srinagar on Friday. Bashir, a native of south Kashmir’s restive Shopian district, had joined the police force in March 2017.

Sources said that all the policemen posted at the Jawahar Nagar residence of the legislator were questioned by the police on Saturday and the quarter, where from the weapons were taken away, was sealed and fingerprints of all the police guards were taken.

The incident took place in the absence of the PDP legislator who has been staying in Jammu for the past 12 days, and has been contacted by the police since. Some reports claimed that one of Bashir’s relatives is a militant, but police did not confirm the information.

State police chief Dilbagh Singh said that stringent action will be taken against those whose "irresponsibility" led to the incident. "Those who have not done their duty with responsibility will be dealt with strictly," he told reporters.

Singh also claimed that they have got some leads as "the SPO had come in contact with the militants.”

On being asked whether the legislator Mir would be quizzed by the police, the police chief said, “I cannot say anything regarding this as of now, but if the need arises during investigation of the case, anyone would be questioned." Also, the police have announced a cash reward of Rs 2 lakh for any information leading to the arrest of the deserter SPO.