Shoe hurled towards Omar at I-Day function,15 cops suspended

Eyewitnesses say that when Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was taking salute after unfurling the Tri-colour,a policeman sitting in the VIP gallery behind Abdullah hurled his shoe towards him. The shoe,however,missed the target and fell on the ground. The policeman also waved a black flag and raised pro-freedom slogans.

The policeman,who hurled show on Abdullah,has been identified as Abdul Ahad Jan of North Kashmir’s Bandipore town. He was whisked away by the security guards immediately.

Police says that Jan was suspended as a criminal case is pending against him but they are unable to answer that how Jan managed to enter the Bakshi stadium and get a set in the VIP enclosure. There is strict scrutiny of all the people,who enter the Bakshi stadium and people with valid passes only are allowed inside the VIP enclosures.

15 policemen suspended for shoe throwing incident

Fifteen policemen including four officers were suspended by the Jammu and Kashmir Government in connection with a shoe being hurled at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by a suspended head constable today at the Independence Day function.

Official sources said the policemen four of whom who were of sub-inspector rank faced the action pending an inquiry for lax security arrangements which enabled the constable Abdul Ahad Jahan to enter the highly-secured Bakshi Stadium.

Jahan,who was in the VIP enclosure behind the rows where Omar was taking salute from marching contingents after unfurling the national flag,was overpowered by security men and has been arrested.

Authorities probing the incident claimed that Jahan had links with a rival political party. The party was not named.

Jahan,a resident of Ajjas in Bandipore,claimed during interrogation that he was dropped by a zonal President of the rival political party on his motorcycle at the Bakshi stadium,according to official sources.

The sources did not rule out the possibility of Jahan having used the invitation card sent to politicians for attending the Independence Day celebrations.

He has also claimed to have links with with one MLA,the sources said.

The probe also showed that Jahan was suspended in May this year after he was chargesheeted in two cases of being drunk at duty and extortion while the third case was still under investigation.

Jahan’s son Showkat is a surrendered militant and is facing a chargesheet for providing shelter to terrorists.

The arrested constable had also filed a case against the Jammu and Kashmir Police in court claiming that he deserved a double promotion. However,the case was dismissed by the court.

In both the cases,he was represented by a prominent lawyer.

Police also recovered some medical prescriptions from Jahan’s pocket and it was suggested he may be undergoing some psychiatric treatment.

With Agency inputs