SPO guarding BJP worker in J&K goes missing with rifles

A SPECIAL Police Officer (SPO), posted as guard with a BJP worker, was reported missing with two service rifles from north Kashmir on Monday. Police sources said SPO Saqib Ahmad Tantry, a resident of Bohipora village of Kupwara, was guarding Abdul Rashid Zargar.

Tantry reportedly escaped with a civilian associate, also belonging to his village. Police sources said Tantry also took away his colleague Arif Ahmad’s service rifle and was carrying his own too. While police are officially silent over the issue, a senior police officer told The Indian Express that the SPO may have escaped to join militants ranks, as he left with service rifles.

If that is so, they said, it would be the first such case in over a year now.

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“There are no clear indications as of now. We have launched a manhunt to trace him,” a police officer said.

“But apparently, it seems that the SPO and his associate have escaped with rifles to join the militant ranks. This seems the only viable explanation for his escape along with rifles,” said an official.