Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 4: In a major breakthrough, police today arrested two police personnel in Rajouri on way from the Line of Control (LoC) in Mendhar town of Poonch district on a bike along with two illegal Chinese pistols, two loaded magazines and four rounds. Police didn’t rule out the possibility of the police personnel having links with the militants as they had been awarded out-of-turn promotion after their initial recruitment as Special Police Officers (SPOs). The weapons recovered from them had been smuggled from Pakistan.
More arrests were on the cards as police was interrogating the arrested policemen to ascertain source of unauthorized weapons and the persons to whom they have to be delivered.
SSP Rajouri Mubassir Latifi told the Excelsior that police arrested two of its personnel along with two illegal weapons and have booked them under Section 7/25 Indian Arms Act (IAA) in FIR No. 464/2013 at police station Rajouri pending their interrogation to ascertain their links with other persons including the militants.
He identified the arrested police personnel as Ashfaq Ahmad son of Mohammad Yusuf, a resident of Nakka Panjgrain in Manjakote area of Rajouri and Mohammad Zakheer alias Zaheer son of Hussain Mohammad R/o Rajdhani Bagla, Thanna Mandi, Rajouri. Both of them were working as Followers in the Police Department.
While Zaheer was posted in District Police Lines (DPL) Rajouri, Ashfaq had been transferred to Kishtwar district six months back but hadn’t joined there and was reportedly on unauthorized absence.
Confirming arrest of the police personnel, seizure of two illegal Chinese pistols and registration of FIR against them under the Indian Arms Act at Rajouri police station, Mr Latifi said top police got a tip off this afternoon about the movement of the police personnel from Mendhar to Rajouri.
Police parties headed by Mr Latifi and SHO Rajouri Inspector Varinder Gupta laid nakas and nabbed the Followers from their bike at Thandi Kassi, just short of Rajouri town. Police recovered the illegal weapons and other items from their possession.
A naka was laid at Rajouri town and both of them were apprehended with two Chinese pistols. On being quizzed, they couldn’t explain source of the pistol and reasons behind their movement from Mendhar to Rajouri. Both of them were arrested. Two illegal Chinese pistols, two loaded magazines and four rounds were recovered from them.
The Chinese pistols carried mark of 67.6mm Bretta.
“At present, police was ruling out nothing. The police personnel might have connived with the militants or they could have stolen the weapons from the seized consignment. They had to sell weapons either to militants or the criminals,’’ sources said, adding they were being interrogated. The weapons had been reportedly been taken from the Line of Control (LoC) in Mendhar and, therefore, the militancy in it was not ruled out.
Sources said the Followers had reportedly extorted money from some people at gun point. One of them was reportedly in possession of three luxurious cars.
Initially, police have booked the Followers under the Indian Arms Act but during their subsequent interrogation, they could also be charged under the provisions of anti-militancy law as their connivance with the militants was yet to be ascertained.
Police have, however, not ruled out the links of the arrested policemen with the militants as they had been instrumental in several anti-militancy operations in Rajouri district. “It was in view of the role of Ashfaq and Zaheer in anti-militancy operations that they had been absorbed as Followers in the Police Department after their initial recruitment as Special Police Officers (SPOs),’’ sources said.
After interrogation by police, the Followers were likely to be sent to the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) in Jammu for their questioning and ascertain their links in the militancy.
Few months back, Rajouri Police had arrested a constable Abdul Rahim along with a consignment of grenades for the militants. A Territorial Army jawan Haneef Mohammad was also arrested along with Rahim. Prior to that, another constable Shahnawaz was arrested along with a rich haul of drugs.
“As the militants were coming from Mendhar, the chances were that they might have taken the consignment of Chinese pistols from couriers of the militants for supplying them to the ultras in Doda, Ramban or Kishtwar districts or show them as recoveries to get promotion and rewards. All aspects are being investigated,’’ sources added.
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