Investigations underway, says police

Srinagar: A Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) trooper hailing from Rajouri district of Jammu and a Special Police Officer (SPO) went missing from their camps along with at least two service rifles and three magazines in Chadoora area of Budgam, officials said on Wednesday.
The SSB constable identified as Altaf Hussain from Koteranka area of Rajouri went missing from the place of his posting at the 14th BN of SSB at Nagam Chadoora along with his service magazine on Tuesday October 13, a police official said.
Reports said that a missing report was filed by the Commandant of the battalion at Police Station Chadoora. Station House Officer Police Station Chadoora Sajad Ahmad, however, refused to comment over the issue.
Besides the SSB man, his namesake, Altaf Hussain Bhat posted at SOG camp Chadoora and hailing from Qazipora village also went missing from the camp along with two AK-47 rifles and as three magazines on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, a police officer posted in the district told Kashmir Reader.
Notably, the SOG camp is located adjacent to Police Station Chadoora. Bhat was an SPO for the last five years.
A local police officer said that an investigation into the two incidents had been undertaken to ascertain the facts into the duo’s missing adding that there had not been any major breakthroughs into the matter.
Asked whether the police had received any inputs about the duo joining militant ranks, the police officer ruled out any such possibility.
“No, there are not any such reports, otherwise they would have taken to social media to announce it,” said the officer.
Over a question whether any arrests had been made into the SPO’s case, a police officer said that there was only routine questioning.
Kashmir Reader learnt from local sources that at least two local shopkeepers from Chadoora had been called for questioning by police into the matter and later let off.
Additional Superintendent of Police Budgam, Amit Verma, said that investigation ­­ into the matter was underway without divulging any further details.
“We are still ascertaining whether any such thing (the SSB man and the SPO having gone missing) has happened,” he added.
DGP Dilbagh Singh termed the incidents as “unfortunate”. “Such incidents are very unfortunate and we have initiated the process to track both SSB man and the SPO. We are sure, we will get them soon,” he was quoted by KNO as having said.

Irshad Khan