Srinagar, May 4: Suspected militants Friday afternoon decamped with two Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs) from a police post, meant to guard a migrant Pandit camp in Shopian district of south Kashmir. Police has registered a case and arrested three police personnel.
The incident created panic among the migrant Pandits living in the area. However, the administration has assured them security.
Giving details of the incident, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) south Kashmir Vijay Kumar told Greater Kashmir that two pistol carrying youth entered into the “police guard post” of a Pandit migrant camp (A) in village Padguchi of Shopian at around 1.45 pm. He said that two among the three cops posted at the guard duty had gone to offer Friday prayers.
DIG said that the lone policeman, whom he identified as Mushtaq Ahmad was in the washroom when the militants entered into the guard room. “Two pistol carrying militants entered into the guard room and decamped with two SLR rifles,” the police officer said adding the militants later opened fire in air outside the migrant camp and fled from the area.
Vijay Kumar said that soon after the incident posse of police, Army and paramilitary forces reached the spot to take stock of situation. “We carried out search operations in the area, but couldn’t get any clues,” DIG said adding that a hunt to nab the militants was on.
The senior police officer said, among the three cops posted at guard duty two were Special Police Officials (SPOs) and other one a head constable. He said that all the three have been arrested and booked under the charges of “Police Enhance Penalty Ordinance, Section 30 of the Police Act.”
“The SPOs have been disengaged,” Vijay Kumar said.
Locals said the incident created panic in the area and Pandits living in the migrant camp expressed worry over the incident. “The incident brought worries for us. It should not have happened,” the Pandits have told Deputy Commissioner and DIG police.
DIG said that they met the migrant Pandits and assured them security. “We have arranged the security for them and there is nothing to worry,” DIG told Greater Kashmir.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 4 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 4 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 5 May 2012 00:00:00 IST