The authorities in Jammu & Kashmir have barred Special Police Officers (SPO) to be detailed on personal security of protected persons. The decision has been taken after an SPO decamped with huge cache of arms and ammunition from a legislator’s official residence before joining Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.
The SPOs are working on monthly honorarium and their services are confirmed after years of ‘satisfactory work’.
The order to this effect was issued by Additional Director General, Security and Law & rder Muneer Ahmad Khan. The ADGP ordered that no unit or SSP shall deploy any SPO for PSO duties and all SPOs except SPO drivers, presently attached with protected persons be immediately withdrawn.
The Order observed that SPOs performing PSO duties with the protected persons was not in accordance with the security norms as SPOs were not trained to perform PSO duties.
A Special Police Officer (SPO) Adil Bashir Sheikh deployed as Personal Security Officer (PSO) of PDP legislator representing Wachi constituency in south Kashmir's Shopian district, decamped with 07 AK 47 rifles alongwith ammunition of police personnel deployed for the security of the State Assembly Member at his official residence at Jawahar Nagar in summer capital Srinagar September 28. The SPO also took away one licensed pistol of MLA. Security sources said since MLA was in Jammu, his all seven PSOs had gone to their respective homes on leave, leaving their weapons in a trunk at J-11 quarters at Jawahar Nagar.
On Thursday, Aijaz Mir alleged that police officials involved in the investigation of the weapon loot case were compelling the family members of his former PSOs to speak against him. The police have not reacted to the allegation. Mir was quizzed by Police & NIA sleuths for at least three straight days after commission of act by SPO by looting arms. Around a dozen other PSOs deployed in MLA security unit were also questioned at legislator's official residence last September 29.
Seven Police cops whose rifles were looted by SPO have been suspended. Officials said they were suspended for their callous attitude towards duties and put under investigation net. The suspended police personnel continued to remain under police detention facing series of questioning sessions by Police officials and sleuths of National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other investigating agencies.
Security sources said their cell phones have also been confiscated for investigation purpose. However, the case has not yet been exclusively taken over by the NIA.
About two weeks back, the Ministry of Home Affairs enhanced monthly honorarium for SPOs with different categories of service period starting from one year to 15 years with honorarium ranging from Rs 5,000 to maximum Rs 15,000 per month depending upon the length of service as SPO.
This followed after over four dozen SPOs tendered their resignations through video statements that went viral on social media networking sites after three police personnel including one SPO were killed after abduction by militants in south Kashmir's Shopian district on September 21.