Alert in Kashmir after police constable decamps with 4 rifles

An alert has been sounded, particularly in central and south Kashmir, after a constable of Jammu and Kashmir police decamped with four rifles from a guard room in Badgam. 

A massive manhunt has been launched to nab the constable identified as Syed Naveed Mushtaq, who was posted at Food Corporation of India (FCI) godown at Badgam in central Kashmir.

The constable, a resident of Shopian in south Kashmir, decamped with four Self Loading Rifles (SLR) from the guard room last evening, official sources said.

An alert has been issued to the security forces in the valley, particularly in Pulwama, Badgam and Shopian, they said, adding that a strict vigil is being maintained on vehicles leaving Badgam, particularly to south Kashmir.

A number of 'nakas' have been established at different places to prevent Mushtaq from entering south Kashmir, where militant activities have witnessed a surge during the past few months.

About 50 youths have joined militancy in south Kashmir during the past one year.

In January last year, Shakoor Ahmed, a personal security officer (PSO) of Deputy Superintendent of Police Bijbehara in Anantnag district escaped from the residence of the officer with four service rifles. 

In earlier similar incident, constable Nazir Pandit posted as the security guard of then Roads and Buildings minister Syed Altaf Bukhari, decamped with two AK-47 rifle in Srinagar.

However, majority of the looted weapons were recovered by the security forces.