Jammu and Kashmir police and Indian army were separately investigating cases of policemen and soldiers who have joined the militant ranks in recent years in Kashmir after decamping with their service weapons, officials said.
Since 2015, at least nine instances of government forces’ personnel have deserted to join the militants, mostly Hizbul Mujahideen group.
Two policemen and a soldier fled their respective units to join Hizb since the beginning of this year.
“This is not a fresh trend. There is nothing alarming about it,” inspector general of police (IGP) Kashmir range, Swayam Prakash Pani told Greater Kashmir.
“We are looking into it and will find out the reasons and accordingly take measures to prevent it.”
In most cases the policemen and soldiers announced their rebellion by posting their photographs on social media, brandishing weapons, just like those local youth who join militant ranks.
According to police officer majority of the policemen who have taken the extreme step to decamp along with their service riffles belong to southern districts of Kashmir province.
“We have started internal probe to find out reasons that pushes cops to join militancy. Though some reasons are obvious,” the officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Southern Kashmir has been in the throes of azadi protests constantly since the killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani in July 2016.
Police believe it is the prevailing conditions in the area that force “some boys to pick up arms.”
“We know all is not well in southern Kashmir. There are obviously some factors that force either newly recruits or cops in service to join militant ranks,” said a senior police officer.
“One major factor is that they belong to south Kashmir.”
Police have directed all the district police chiefs across Kashmir province to keep an eye on the “behaviour of cops” to ensure incidents of policemen joining militancy doesn’t become a trend.
“It is the behaviour that says it all. So we are aware and keeping a close watch on boys who show change in their actions,” another police officer said, declining to be identified.
However, officials dismiss reports that Hizb had cast a net to lure “trained cops and soldiers” to train new recruits.
“I don’t think there is anything like that,” Pani said.
The Army too has started internal investigations into reasons of Kashmiri soldiers joining militancy, but officers say it’s not “a big issue.”
“We need to see the performance of Kashmiri soldiers who are performing their duties with zeal and zest in Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI),” a senior army officer at 15 Corps headquarters in Srinagar said, wishing anonymity.
He said the respective units “are busy analysing possible reasons” responsible for the change of mind in a few soldiers.
“Their respective commands and units are on job as it’s the rule (in the army),” the officer said.
Instances of soldiers, policemen who rebelled
March 2015: Naseer Pandit, Personal Security Officer of a PDP minister deserted along with his service riffle and joined militancy. He was killed in October 2017.
January, 2016: Constable Shakoor Ahmed Parrey ran away with four AK-47 rifles of fellow constables from the SDPO office in Bijbehara where he was posted. Shakoor, a resident of Kundalan, Shopian was posted as a PSO to SDPO.
February 2016: SPO Riyaz Ahmad of Khan Sahib in Budgam was posted in Police Station Rainawari where from he fled along with AK-47 rifle and a magazine of a constabl in the same Police Station.
October 2017: Ishfaq Ahmad Dar, a resident of Heff village of Shopian, who was undergoing training at the Police Training Centre (PTC) Kathua, did not report to the training centre after availing leave from October 14, 2017.
May 2017: A police constable Syed Naveed Mushtaq of Shopian fled with four rifles from the guard post of Food Corporation of India (FCI) godown in Budgam district and joined Hizbul Mujahideen.
July 2017: Sepoy Zahoor Ahmad Thokar of Pulwama fled from his unit at army at Gantamulla, Kupwara.
April 2018: A soldier, Mir Idrees Sultan, joined the Hizbul Mujahideen. A resident of Safnag in Shopian, Sultan belonged to 12 JAKLI (Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry), and was stationed in Bihar. A picture showing him holding an AK-47 rifle recently went viral on social media.
April 2018: An engineering graduate Abid Nazir, who had also cleared the test to join National Defense Academy is believed to have joined Hizbul Mujahideen. A photograph of Nazir brandishing a gun is doing the rounds on social media.
April 2018: A constable of J&K Police has gone missing along with his service rifle from police post Pakherpora in Budgam district. A resident of Khasipora Shopian, Tariq Bhat went missing soon after starting his night shift in the sentry post on April 24. He is also believed to have joined militant ranks.