‘Salaam Alaikum’ was the reply on SP’s mobile phone

PATHANKOT: “Salaam Alaikum” was the reply when the gunman of the superintendent of police, who was thrashed by suspected Pakistani terrorists, called up on his mobile number after the news of the SP’s abduction along with his associates spread.

However, after the gunman told the call receiver that the mobile phone belonged to SP Salwinder Singh, the call was disconnected. It was the last conversation which was made on the SP’s phone, which is believed to be used by the terrorists to make calls to Pakistan.

“After we got alert about the incident (SP’s abduction), I tried making call on the SP sahib’s number. At around 3.26 am, the call got connected. When I said ‘hello’, the reply from the other side was ‘ Salaam Alaikum’. I asked ‘ aap kaun’ ( who are you)? The receiver said ‘ aap kaun’? Then I told him this is my SP sahib’s number. The call receiver said ‘SP sahib kaun’ (who SP sahib?). Then he disconnected the line,” said SP’s gunman Kulwinder Singh.

“I continued to say “hello, hello” but the phone line was disconnected,” Kulwinder told PTI. “It was the last call made on the SP sahib’s phone number,” said Kulwinder, who is Salwinder’s gunman for about five years.

SP’s driver Rajpal Singh said, “After I got information from the control room about the incident, I also tried calling SP sahib’s both mobile numbers. But I failed to connect it.” On Friday, Punjab Police had not ruled out the possibility that suspected militants had used SP’s mobile to make a call to Pakistan.

Pakistani terrorists had abducted and thrashed the SP and his two associates before dumping them some distance away and speeding away in his vehicle in the wee hours of Friday.