J&K Police Spokesperson in a statement on Monday confirmed that four police personnel (PSO’s) have been dismissed from the service. (Representational photo)The Jammu and Kashmir Police dismissed four policemen from service for “dereliction of duties” and “unauthorised absence”, and shifted two senior police officials including SSP Security Kashmir, after suspected militants ran away with four rifles from the official residence of Congress MLC (legislator) Muzaffar Parray in Srinagar’s Jawahar Nagar area on Sunday.
The weapons belonged to the four policemen who were personal security officer’s (PSO) of the legislator.
A senior police officer told The Indian Express that besides SSP Security Kashmir Maqsood ul Zaman, Station House Officer (SHO) of Raj-Bagh police station has also been transferred after the incident. Jawahar Nagar area falls under Rajbagh jurisdiction.
J&K Police Spokesperson in a statement on Monday confirmed that four police personnel (PSO’s) have been dismissed from the service.
“Four Police Personnel who were deployed as PSOs with Sh Mohammed Muzzafar Parray Hon’ble MLC have been dismissed from service for dereliction of duties and unauthorised absence,” said a police statement.
Separately, an order issued by J-K DGP Dilbagh Singh on Monday said that, “SSP Security Kashmir is hereby attached with Security Headquarters with immediate effect”. Another officer has been given additional charge of the top post.
A police officer said that they have found “negligence” on part the four policemen in the case and, to send out “strong message”, the J-K police have initiated strong action against the policemen.
“We are investigating all the angles of the case. We are looking if any of the PSO’s had any direct role in the case. We are checking the records of all the security personnel who were deputed at the MLC’s residence earlier,” said the officer.
Suspected militants on Sunday stole four rifles from the official residence MLC (legislator) Muzaffar Parray. The MLC was not present at the residence in Jawahar Nagar area as he was in Jammu since November 18. No militant group, however, has so far claimed responsibility.
Parray, who was still in Jammu, told The Indian Express that police hasn’t summoned him to Srinagar. “They asked me basic information about my PSO’s. But, I have not been asked to come to Srinagar,” he said.
Only one PSO was present at the residence, and three men came and took away the weapons.
Sunday’s incident was the second big case after September this year, when a Special Police Officer (SPO) of J&K police posted with People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA from South Kashmir had fled with seven weapons and one pistol from the post guarding the residence of MLA in the same area of Jawahar Nagar. The SPO, who fled with the weapons, joined the militant ranks only few days later.
In October, suspected militants decamped with two weapons belonging to security personnel posted at a retired police officer’s residence in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
