‘Militants’ snatch two rifles from guards of retired SP in Budgam

The duo overpowered security personnel guarding the former police officer’s residence at Gopalpora

SRINAGAR: Suspected militants snatched two rifles from policemen guarding the residence of a retired police officer in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district, police said on Monday.

An officer said that unidentified gunmen overpowered the security personnel guarding the residence of a retired superintendent of police (SP) at Gopalpora, Budgam, and ran away with their rifles on Sunday night .

“The attackers took away two carbines. We are investigating,” said superintendent of police, Budgam, Tejinder Singh.

On September 30, militants had managed to snatch an AK-47 rifle after attacking a police station in south Kashmir’s Shopian, which claimed the life of a 23-year-old policeman Saqib Mir.

On September 28, a special police officer (SPO) attached with a legislator from Shopian’s Wachi, Ajaz Mir, had decamped with seven rifles and one pistol from the official residence of the legislator from high security Jawahar Nagar in Srinagar.

Police had said that the SPO Adil Bashir was in touch with militants.

The government data presented in the state assembly in January this year revealed that as many as 149 guns and 102 tear gas shells and grenades have been looted by militants in Jammu and Kashmir over the past three years, out of which 76 were recovered.

In May this year, Jammu and Kashmir Police blamed the overuse of smartphones by its personnel for the rise in the number of incidents of weapon snatching across the strife-torn state and banned their use during duty hours, especially by sentries.

The order, issued by the additional director general of police (armed), had also introduced a number of dos and don’ts to be followed by policemen.

All sentries, particularly on guard duty, were asked to wear bulletproof gear and chain their weapons with their belts.

The guards were also required to introduce improvised alarm system and remain available round-the-clock in guardrooms “in a state of alertness and in proper uniform during the day-time”.

AS PER GOVT DATA, 149 GUNS AND 102 TEAR GAS SHELLS AND GRENADES HAVE BEEN LOOTED BY MILITANTS IN J&K OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, OF THESE, ONLY 76 HAVE BEEN RECOVERED