Cop, ex-militant among 3 booked for looting trader

JAMMU: Two brothers, a policeman and a surrendered militant, were among three people booked for allegedly looting and assaulting a saffron trader on gun point in Rajouri district.
While prime accused Mohammad Mustafa Shah was arrested and looted saffron along with two 12-bore guns were seized, the search was on to arrest the two brothers, Rajouri Senior Superintendent of Police Yougal Manhas said.
He said departmental proceedings have also been initiated against police constable for his involvement in the criminal case.
Mustafa, a retired government teacher, hatched a conspiracy with police constable Mushtaq Shah and his brother Guddu Shah, an ex-militant, both residents of Budhal, to snatch saffron from trader Afsar Hussain during a visit to his village Sankari, Manhas said.
"When the victim, who was in contact with Mustafa, reached Sankari to sell the Saffron, the trio overpowered and assaulted him. They also threatened him with two 12 bore guns and snatched saffron and forced him to run from the village," he said.
Soon after the information of the incident was received by police, Manhas said, a team headed by Station House Officer Rajouri Sameer Jillani under the supervision of DySP Headquarters Surinder Khadyar and another reinforcement team under the supervision of DySP PC (Operations) Pranav Mahajan was rushed to the spot and a raid was conducted in the house of Mustafa Shah where the incident had taken place.
During the raid, Mustafa was arrested and the snatched saffron and two 12-bore guns were recovered, the SSP said, adding a case vide FIR 652/2019 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Indian Arms Act was registered in police station Rajouri.
Manhas said that manhunt has been launched to nab the other two accused.
The SSP further said that departmental proceedings have also been initiated against police constable Mushtaq Shah for his involvement in the criminal case.