Srinagar, Dec 31: Four policemen whose rifles were looted from the residence of a Congress legislator in Srinagar were dismissed from the service on Monday, police said.
“Four policemen who were deployed as PSOs with Congress leader Mohammed Muzzafar Parray have been dismissed from service for dereliction of duty and unauthorised absence,” said a police spokesman.
Police had on Sunday said that four AK-47 rifles have gone missing from the Congress MLC’s official residence at Jawahar Nagar.
Soon after the incident, senior police officers rushed to the spot and detained all the four policemen—three from the security wing and one from district police lines Sopore— for questioning.
A police source said the detained policemen were also placed under suspension while their questioning was started.
“During their initial interrogation, one of the policemen revealed that when the incident took place, he was alone at the quarter and his associate had gone to Lalla Ded hospital to see his relative while two other policemen were not present there,” the source said, adding: “He (a policeman) disclosed that some unidentified gunmen entered quarter number J-37 early on Sunday morning and pointed a gun at him and sought details about weapons. He stated that they (gunmen) later decamped with all the four weapons and before he could raise the alarm, the gunmen fled from the spot.”
The source said the “gunmen” had managed their entry into the quarter on the pretext of “repairing an electricity supply line.”
“It seems that they were fully aware of the fact that only one policeman was present in the quarter. The role of insiders can’t be ruled out,” the source said.
The Congress leader Parray said he is in Jammu for the past more than a month and has “no idea” of what had happened at his Srinagar residence.
Meanwhile, following the incident, Jammu and Kashmir Police Department in an order issued here today attached Maqsood-ul-zaman, SSP security Kashmir with security headquarters with immediate effect.
“Maqsood- ul-Zaman, SSP security Kashmir is hereby attached with security headquarters with immediate effect,” reads an order no G2/G-3/SP/Trans dated 31/12/2018 issued by the police.
The order further says that the work of SSP security Kashmir shall be looked after by Sajad Hussain, SSP Commandant JKAP 3rd Battalion in addition to his own duties.
“Sajad Hussain, SSP Commandant JKAP 3rd battalion in addition to his own duties shall look after the work of SSP security Kashmir till further orders” reads the order issued by Police headquarters Jammu and Kashmir.
