Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 25: Militants last night snatched and escaped with four rifles from a security picket guarding minorities in a remote village in South Kashmir district of Pulwama.
DIG, South Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, told Excelsior that 3 militants entered a minority picket in Tral area of South Kashmir village of Arigam and snatched three self-loading rifles (SLR) and one INSAS rifle from it.
The DIG said that two Special Police Officers (SPOs) were absent from the duty while a Head Constable (HC) and a Constable were overpowered by the militants. He said that the rifles were snatched due to negligence on part of policemen.
A case (FIR 33/12) has been registered in the Police Station Tral and two policemen and two SPOs were suspended while Head Constable Mohammad Qasim, Constable Mushtaq Ahmad and an SPO were arrested while one is still absconding.
The policemen are being questioned while a police party has been sent to arrest another SPO who was also absent from duty at the time of the incident.
The minority security picket was guarding the Sikh families who comprise 30 percent of the population of the Arigam village. Police have strengthened the minority picket after the incident and a hunt has been launched to trace the militants responsible for looting the weapons.
The area is considered to be stronghold of Hizbul Mujahideen and sources said that around 5 militants were behind the looting of the weapons from the minority picket.
Senior police officers visited the spot and assed the situation after which the minority picket was strengthened.
This is second incident of weapon snatching in South Kashmir this month. On May 4, militants decamped with service rifles of four cops of a minority picket in Shopian district.
DIG Kumar said that those responsible for the snatching of weapons from Shopian village have been identified. He said that they are two Over Ground Workers of a militant outfit and police is after them.
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