Srinagar, May 27: Militants have snatched two service weapons from Personnel Security Officers (PSO) of a protected person in south Kashmir, official sources said.
The incident took place few days after a senior police officer issued a directive that all sentries, particularly on guard duty, shall wear Bullet Proof (BP) gear and chain their weapons with their belts properly. Besides, all the guards shall introduce improvised alarm system and remain available round the clock in their respective guard rooms in a state of alertness and in proper uniform during day time.
Sources said the PSOs were guarding Advocate Gowhar, a senior leader of Jammu and Kashmir Tehreek Bachao Party (JKTBP), resident of Aasnoor Watoo village of adjoining Kulgam district.
However, militants snatched one AK rifle and an Insas rifle from the PSOs on late Saturday night, when Mr Gowhar was visiting his in-laws’ in Dabran village of the district. Advocate Gowhar was reportedly associated with the Congress, PDP and the National Conference (NC), before joining the JKTBP.
Police has registered a case and started investigation. Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) A K Choudhary in a directive has directed its personnel on guard and sentry duty to avoid using the mobile phones during duty.
Over a dozen incidents of rifle snatching and attacking of guards by militants have been reported from different parts of Kashmir valley during the past few months.
Taking it very seriously, the Police department has imposed ban on use of smart phones by sentries during duty hours.
Mr Choudhary said it has been observed that recent weapon snatching incidents have occurred due to the reason that sentries on duty remain engaged with their smart phones for most of the time, thereby compromising with their legitimate duty. He further said that this tendency has considerably increased and resulted in weapon snatching or killing of police cops in the state, particularly in the Valley.
The order said the tendency not only lowered the image of police organisation, but also compromised with personal security of the individual. This speaks volumes about lack of supervision and sensitisation of lower subordinates with inputs and overall security situation in and around a particular area, it added.
Therefore, no sentry will be allowed to use smart phones while on duty and no sentry shall carry with him any smart phone during duty hours under any circumstances, saidthe order.  (Inputs News Agencies)
