Srinagar: In a bizarre incident, the J&K police’s anti-hijacking squad on Monday arrested an Army jawan who was trying to board a Delhi-bound flight with two live hand grenades at Srinagar airport.
The Army jawan, identified as Bhupal Mukhiya, a resident of Darjeeling’s Basuli village, was quickly taken to an interrogation centre where he reportedly changed his statements thrice. Mukhiya was going home on leave.
The police said that the grenades were found in the jawan’s baggage during a check. He initially said that he was unaware of the grenades in his possession. But later, he retracted his statement and claimed that he was taking grenades to Delhi to cause “blast in rivers” to catch fish.
On being pressed, he, however, admitted that a “major sahib” had asked him to take the grenades to Delhi where these were to be delivered to some unknown person. He also reportedly mentioned the names of two junior-level officers. The J&K police has approached the Army authorities and sought access to these officers for their questioning, the sources said.
Director-general of J&K police Sheesh Paul Vaid said that an FIR has been registered at Srinagar’s Humhama police station and that “it would be too early to draw conclusions”. He, however, also told reporters here, “Necessary action will be taken against him. I’m heading to the airport now.”
Replying queries, the police chief said, “He (Army jawan) will face action according to the law. Be it an Army jawan, a policeman or a civilian, everyone will have to face action.” Asked if it was a hijacking bid, Mr Vaid said, “I cannot say anything on that.”
The soldier had entered the airport without being stopped because there is no checking for the Army at the main entry. He serves at a unit of Army JAK LI in Uri near the Line of Control (LoC).
Former chief minister Omar Abdullah said that recovery of grenades from a soldier tells a wide story of problem of unaccounted weapons and ammunition. He wrote on microblogging site Twitter, “ Not something, one would usually forget to unpack before boarding a flight. Tells a wider story of the problem of unaccounted weapons & ammo.”
