J&K cops not to retain weapons while on leave

SRINAGAR: In the wake of a cop decamping with four service rifles, Jammu and Kashmir Police has asked its personnel not to retain their weapons while going on leave and instead deposit them in the post or the nearest police station concerned.

An order issued by Director General of Police K Rajendra said it has been observed that police personnel, deployed on PSO/escort/guard duties, while proceeding on leave do not deposit their allotted weapons in the posts.

At many times, this has resulted in theft of weapons and there is every possibility of these weapons falling into the hands of anti-national elements, it said.

Henceforth, the order said, no police personnel shall be allowed to retain the weapon, allotted to him, in his custody during the period of casual, earned or any other leave.

Any police personnel proceeding on leave shall deposit his weapons in the ' kot' (post) or nearest police station concerned as the case may be, the order said.

The DGP asked the supervisory officers to ensure that no police personnel were allowed to keep their weapons in their personnel trunks while they were away on leave or any other duty.

Any deviation on this count will be viewed very seriously and the supervisory officer concerned shall be personally held responsible, the order said.

The order comes in the aftermath of last week's incident when constable Shakoor Ahmed Parrey decamped with four weapons from the residence of Bijbehara Sub-Division Police Officer Irshad Ahmad Bhat.

Shakoor was Bhat's personal security officer.

He is believed to have joined militants.