Kashmiri cop who decamped with AK-47s joins Hizbul

A special police officer (SPO), who decamped with seven AK-47 rifles and a pistol from the official residence of a legislator in Srinagar last week, has joined the Hizbul Mujahideen.

The pictures of SPO Adil Bashir of Zainapora, Shopian district, with Hizbul commander Zeenat-ul-Islam have gone viral on social networking sites. In the pictures, Bashir is seen with four other Hizbul militants, including Zeenat-ul-Islam. The pictures were taken in an orchard at some undisclosed location, probably in southern Shopian.

The police have claimed to have achieved a breakthrough in the case, saying a civilian from Shopian district “who helped the SPO in executing the plan” has been identified.

“The SPO had executed the plan with the help of a civilian, who also hails from Shopian. We have identified the civilian and he will be arrested soon,” Additional Director General of Police (law and Order) Muneer Khan said.

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Sources said the civilian, identified by the police, was not a militant but “may be a militant sympathiser given the fact that he helped Adil in transporting weapons and executing the entire plan hatched by the Hizbul militants.”

Bashir, who was posted with PDP MLA from southern Wachi constituency Aijaz Mir, fled with at least seven AK-47 rifles and a licensed pistol belonging to the legislator from his official residence in Jawahar Nagar area of Srinagar on Friday, sending the entire security establishment into a tizzy.

It is pertinent to mention here that Bashir was charged with stone-throwing in 2014 and he was part of the FIR (27/2014). He was recruited as SPO in March 2017 and later posted with MLA Mir.

Though weapon-snatching incidents are not new in Kashmir, the latest incident is first of its kind where a policeman has deserted the force with such a large number of weapons.

Police have detained all the seven personal security officials of the legislator for questioning.

All seven PSOs have been suspended for their callous attitude. Sources said that mobile phones of the PSOs are being scrutinised and they are being questioned on how all of them were away from their place of duty.