A cop posted at Rainawari police station, Saturday; decamped with the service rifle of his colleague fleeing the spot in the broad daylight. Police have initiated a search operation to nab the absconding cop.Sources told Kashmir Images that one Riyaz Ahmad (belt no 175F), a resident of Khan Sahab area of Budgam who was posted as Personal Security Officer (PSO) at police station Rainawari fled away taking along the service rifle of his colleague Showkat Ahmad. Sources said that Showkat, who is also a PSO, had to face tough time in view of the precarious incident that puts the higher-ups on tenterhooks.The incident that occurred at around 12: 45 this afternoon prompted city police chief to cancel an important press conference which was scheduled to be held at 1pm at police station Khanyar.
A senior police official while confirming the incident told Kashmir Images “this is really a matter of concern. This is not first of its kind incident but such incidents have occurred in other parts of the valley as well”.He said that investigation has been initiated in the matter and police is looking from all angles as to what prompted the cop to decamp with service rifle.“Such incidents cannot be taken in lighter vein, we have to see whether PSO’s are facing any problem in the police department, we cannot jump to the conclusion whether he fled with intensions to join militant rank or there was some other issue,” he said, adding police has started the search to nap the absconding cop.Meanwhile Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone Syed Javaid Mujtaba Geelani told CNS that it is a serious issue and police have been analyzing and chalking a strategy to stop such incidents from happening in future. “We have been chalking out a strategy to avoid such incidents in future,” he said adding that the absconding cop may have joined militant ranks. (CNS)