Armed terrorists are robbing policemen of their weapons in Jammu and Kashmir, often in broad daylight.
The unrest in Jammu and Kashmir has taken a new turn, with armed terrorists robbing policemen of their weapons - often in broad daylight - a trend that has so far been seen only in Maoist-hit areas. The police department has been forced to arrest 18 of its men for not offering any resistance to the terrorists.
On Thursday, the state police arrested four officers for "cowardice" and "dereliction of duty".
All four had been on guard duty at the house of political activist Abdul Rashid Khanday in Kulgam district of South Kashmir, when terrorists stormed into the house and robbed them of four rifles and ammunition.
This was the fourth incident in South Kashmir within a week, when policemen were relieved of their weapons. Police sources say the officers did not offer any resistance when the terrorists had barged into the house.
"We have arrested the policemen who were deployed for guard duty. They should have repulsed the attack and opened fire at the terrorists, but it looks like they did not do so," said state police chief Javid Gilani.
Earlier, four weapons were looted when a mob attacked the house of PDP lawmaker Nazir Ahmad Laway and set on fire the annexe at Kulgam. Four cops deployed there had been arrested.
A few days ago, terrorists decamped with two rifles from policemen posted at the home of a CPIM leader.
Earlier this week, eight policemen were arrested for dereliction of duty after a mob set on fire the deputy commissioner's office at Shopian. A few weapons had gone missing from the guard post.
Over the last two months -- since protests flooded the Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani -- security forces have not been able to launch any anti-terror operation and terrorists have been taking advantage of it.
More than 70 people have been killed in the valley and over 10,000 have been injured. Kashmir has been under lockdown and efforts to de-escalate the tension have not succeeded so far.