Decorated Kashmir Cop Caught Travelling With Hizbul Terrorists

Srinagar: A Jammu and Kashmir police officer decorated with the President’s medal for bravery was caught travelling with two Hizbul terrorists in a vehicle on Srinagar-Jammu Highway. The officer and terrorists were going to Delhi when they were intercepted on Saturday, police said.

The accused cop has been identified as Davinder Singh, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) posted at the sensitive Srinagar International airport.

The DSP was caught at Wanpoh in Kulgam district with Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Naveed Babu.

Babu is accused of being involved in the killing of 11 non-local workers including truck drivers and labourers in south Kashmir in October and November last year. The series of killings were carried out to drive non-locals out of Kashmir and target Kashmir’s apple industry after the scrapping of J&K’s special status by the Centre in August 2019.

Sources revealed that police were tracking Babu’s movements and his location was traced after he made a phone call to his brother.

The police intercepted a vehicle in which the Hizbul terrorist, who is also a former Special Police Official (SPO), his accomplice Asif and Deputy Superintendent of Police Davinder Singh were travelling at Wanpoh, according to an NDTV report.

Davinder was awarded the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry on August 15 last year.

After arresting and interrogation of Davinder and Babu, the police carried out multiple raids in Srinagar and South Kashmir and recovered a huge cache of stashed arms and ammunition.

At Davinder’s home in Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar, the police recovered an AK-47 rifle and two pistols. Another AK rifle and a pistol were recovered based on Babu’s confession.

Police said they were trying to find out why the terrorists were going to Delhi with the help of a police officer.

Sources said Davinder was absent from duty on Saturday and had applied for four days of leave from Sunday.

The DSP had shot into spotlight after a letter written by Afzal Guru, the parliament attack convict, in 2013. It claimed that the officer had asked him to accompany a parliament attack accused to Delhi and arrange his stay there.