Curfew in Kishtwar as LeT ultras snatch rifle of PDP leader’s PSO

Militants identified; massive search Op launched

JAMMU: In third such incident in past six months, two militants belonging to Lashker-e-Toiba terror outfit snatched the service rifle from a Personal Security Officer (PSO) of a local Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader in Kishtwar in Jammu region, forcing authorities to impose curfew and launch a massive search operation in the communally-sensitive district.

A senior officer informed that two LeT militants, believed to be locals of Marwah area, overpowered the PSO of PDP Kishtwar district president Sheikh Nasir at his home and snatched an AK-47 rifle from him on Friday morning.

“Nasir’s PSO Basheer was standing outside his residence when at 10:45 am, two LeT militants snatched his service weapon, and fled away,” he said and identified the militants as Osama Bin Javed and Zahid of Marwah.

When contacted, Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, Angrez Singh Rana told The News Now that curfew has been imposed in the town in the wake of the snatching incident.

“As preventive measure, curfew has been imposed in the afternoon in the town and its adjoining areas under the jurisdiction of one police station.

“Army, police and CRPF cordoned off the entire area and launched a massive search operation to track them down,” he said.

“The upper reaches of the hilly district have dense forests, snow-capped hills and natural caves. These terrorists move in the upper reaches and once they enter a natural cave, it becomes very difficult to trace them,” said a senior police officer, adding, the Sinthan Pass in Kishtwar district connects it to Anantnag district in south Kashmir that has been the hotbed of terrorist activity.

Though Kishtwar district was declared terrorism-free over a decade ago, but the growing incidents of killing and snatching of weapons are worrisome.

This is third weapon snatching incident in Kishtwar this year.

On March 8, masked assailants barged into the house of PSO Daleep Kumar in Shaheedi Mazar area and snatched from him AK-47 rifle and 90 bullets.

Later on April 9, suspected militants killed an RSS leader Chandrakant and his Personal Security Officer (PSO) and also snatched his weapon outside Kishtwar district hospital.