Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar May 8: Militants today fled away with four rifles from a Police Post in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district. All the four cops have been suspended and taken into custody for questioning and security forces have launched massive searches against the militants responsible for it.
Police said that militants fled away with four rifles – two SLRs and two INSAS rifles – from a Police Post guarding the minority community in Adijan area of Kulgam at around 2 a.m.
Senior police and security officers reached the spot soon after the weapon snatching incident and massive manhunt has been launched to nab the rifle snatchers.
Sources said that the atleast 7 militants surrounded the post and fled with the box in which these weapons and ammunition was stored. The box contained two SLRs, two Insas rifles, five magazines and 150 rounds.
Sources said that only one Cop was on duty when the weapon snatching took place and rest had gone home. Police personnel whose weapons were snatched have been identified as Bashir Ahmad, Selection Grade constable, belt no. 281 KGM, Firdous Ahmad constable, belt no 942 KGM, Special Police Officer (SPO) Nisar Ahmad, belt no 13 KGM and Mushtaq Ahmad SPO, belt no 417 KGM.
Soon after the incident, police registered a case and started an investigation into the incident. The four cops have been suspended and they were detained for questioning. They have been put in the Special Operations Group (SOG) camp at Kulgam where they are being questioned.
However, a senior police officer said that the three militants entered the Police Post at the dead of the night and took away the rifles from the Police men who were on duty.
There have been several incidents of weapon snatching from the Police Posts guarding the minority pickets in South Kashmir during last few years. In majority of these cases the Police men were found absent from the duty when weapons snatching took place.
Sources said that the militants of Hizbul Mujahideen are mostly involved in weapons snatching from the Police Posts guarding minorities in South Kashmir. The militants conduct recce several times before snatching the weapons. They said that the militants resort to weapon snatching as they face shortage of weapons.
Last year after several incidents of weapons snatching, the police men posted at these minority pickets were asked to be alert and prevent weapon snatching.
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