J&K cop Sameer Bhat missing for 16 days; colleague gives contradictory statements

JAMMU : The mere thought of abduction and subsequent murder of Lt Ummer Fayaz by armed militants in Kashmir recently, sends a chill down the spine of constable Sameer Bhat’s family members. Sameer is a constable with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and has been missing since May 14. He was posted in Srinagar. For days now, the Kashmiri Pandit family has been running from pillar to post in Srinagar to enquire about him; but to no effect.

“The entire family including my father, mother, aunt and me are in Srinagar and have met DGP SP Vaid and IGP (Kashmir) Munir Khan. However, there is no clue about my youngest brother who is now missing for 16 days,” said Sameer’s elder brother Sanjay Bhat.

The family had lodged a missing person report on May 17 with the Sher Garhi police station.

On May 14, Sameer had left along with his colleague, special police officer (SPO) Aijaz Ahmed, in the latter’s car to drop Sameer’s uncle Dileep at Kupwara. Sameer has been missing after the duo dropped Dileep.

Meanwhile, Aijaz Ahmed has reportedly been giving contradictory statements to the police. In one of them he said Sameer jumped into Puhroo river under the influence of alcohol.

“Our family did not have any dispute and my brother too had no problems. Why would he jump off a river to commit suicide,” asks Sanjay.