Two security forces jawans missing along with their service weapons in J&K

Srinagar: Two security personnel associated with separate establishments went missing along with their service weapons from their respective units in Jammu and Kashmir’s central Budgam district during the past 24 hours, the police said here on Wednesday.

The officials did not rule out, at least, one of these being a conscious decision of desertion and decamping with service weapons to join militant ranks. They added that a manhunt has been launched for the fugitive and in the second case investigations were underway to determine the reason behind the disappearance of the jawan.

The police sources said a constable of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)’s 14th battalion posted in Nagam area of central Budgam district went missing with his service INSAS rifle and 20 rounds of ammunition on Tuesday evening. Identified as Altaf Hussain, the “missing” jawan is a resident of Rehan, Koteranka area of frontier Rajouri district, the sources added.

Hours after SSB jawan’s disappearance, a Special Police Officer (SPO) with J&K police deserted his unit located in Chadoora area of the same district along with two AK-47 rifles and four magazines. The SPO identified as Altaf Hussain Bhat, resident of Qazipora village of Chadoora, has been working as SPO from the last five years, the police sources said.

Meanwhile, two suspected militants were killed in a firefight with the security forces in Chakoora village of southern Shopian district on Wednesday. The officials said that the gunfight broke out in an open filed after the J&K’s police’s counterinsurgency Special Operations Groups (SOG), the Army’s 34 Rashtriya Rifles and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) laid siege to the area to conduct searches.

 The police sources said that the brief exchange of fire took place when gunmen tried to break the cordon in their attempt to flee from the area.