Looted by militants, policemen arrested for cowardice

Nazir Masoodi

Srinagar, September 3: A Station House Officer and four other police personnel of Police Station Dooru, Anantnag, were arrested for cowardice as militants took away their arms and ammunition at village Batagund near Verinag, 77 km south of Srinagar.

The incident took place at 12.30 pm when a heavily group of militants stormed the village where Additional Deputy Commisoner (ADC) Anantnag, alongwith a team of doctors and Public Heath Engeering Deaprtment, had come to assess the situation in the aftermath of diarrhoea outbreak.

Sources said around 250 villagers had gathered there to complain lack of medical facilities and supply of contaminated water in the area to the visiting ADC Mohammad Ramzan Thakur, when militants suspected to be foreigners stormed the village and asked policemen to hand over their arms and ammunition.

Miltants had encircled us, they were asking policemen where was their officer. They overpowered them and snatched their arms and ammunition,'' said Thakur.

He said had the police fired, a number of villagers including women and children, would have been killed in the crossfire. ``Police could not fire even a single bullet in the air. Militants stormed the village and left no chance for cops to resist,'' he said.

``People also pleaded before militants that the medical team has come to save their lives after the outbreak of diarrhoea but all in vain. They did not listen anything and left only after snatching the arms from cops,'' Thakur said.

Police confirmed the arrest of five policemen including SHO Ghulam Haider and said the five have been placed under suspension. A senior officer said the action has been taken for cowardice against the policemen.

He said a case has been registered at Police Station in Dooru.

Militants have taken away four AK rifles and one pistol with ammunition. The only policeman who could save his weapon was personal security officer (PSO) of ADC since he was surrounded by people and militants could not notice him.

Sources said the cops initially tried to resist but when they found themselves encircled they pleaded before militants. A police officer quoting arrested cops said the Additional DC had asked the police not to fire. The latter, however, said, ``Militants did not left any chance for cops even to move a step.

"There was no chance of taking orders from me. They surfaced out of blue,'' Thakur said.

The drama continued for at least 10 minutes and after snatching the arms from police, militants left the village, sources said. Soon after the incident, police sought help from Army and massive operation has been launched in the area to track down the militants.

This is the second time in last 10 days when Jammu and Kashmir Police took stern action against its own officials for cowardice. SHO, Police Station, Poonch, was placed under suspension for his inaction when militants stormed the police station on August 24 and killed seven cops.

Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has already made it clear that the SHO will be terminated from service for cowardice.