CM shifts SP to pacify Sopore amid attack on PDP MLAs

Imtiyaz brought back as SP Sopore, Shahid Meraj posted in Ganderbal

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Aug 2: Playing a veritable gamble of the year and risking rank demoralization in Police, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today ordered immediate shifting of SP Sopore, Altaf Khan, for “fair and impartial investigation” into the custodial killing of a civilian on July 31st. Whether this significant administrative action would achieve the objective of pacifying an agitated apple town or would prove counterproductive by emboldening the defeated stone pelters would possibly become clear in the next two days.

Highly placed authoritative sources told Early Times that on the local political advice, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today decided to shift 1999 batch KPS officer, Altaf Khan, as SP of Sopore with the calculation that transfer of the senior most district police officer would pacify residents of Sopore. Krankshivan and adjoining peripheral localities of Sopore have been outraged with the death of 27-year-old shopkeeper, Nazim Rashid Shala, who died during custodial interrogation on July 31^st. Son of a retired Sub Inspector of J&K Police, Nazim Rashid had been picked up by SOG Sopore and subjected to interrogation as his name had reportedly figured among the “accomplices” of some militants who have gunned down three civilians in the last few weeks.

Radical separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who is a resident of Sopore area and has functioned as MLA of Sopore for 11 years before leading a separatist armed struggle in 1990, has called for shutdown against the custodial killing on August 3^rd. In a significant development, Chairman of a rival faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, today extended unconditional support to Geelani’s call and threatened violence if the authorities failed to end home confinement of separatist leaders by tomorrow. He said that he would assert as Mirwaiz (religious head) of the Kashmiris and call upon them to defend their faith.

Sources said that on Chief Minister’s directions, Government ordered immediate shifting of Altaf Khan. According to the order, which had not reached the concerned Police officials till late this evening, SP Sopore, Altaf Khan, has been transferred and appointed as Commandant of JKAP 9^th Bn. SP Ganderbal, Imtiyaz Hussain Mir, who had impressively functioned as SP Sopore for nearly two years and restored normality in Geelani’s constituency in 2006-09, has been transferred and yet again appointed as SP Sopore. SP Crime Branch Kashmir, Shahid Meraj Rather, has been transferred and appointed as the new SP of Ganderbal---Assembly constituency of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. All three KPS 1999-batch officers would be joining new places of posting on Wednesday.

An official press release said that Minister of State for Home, Nasir Aslam Wani, chaired a high-level meeting of Home Department to review the progress of ongoing investigation into the alleged custodial death of Nazim Rashid Shalla, alias Naved Anjum, at Sopore on July 31.The meeting was attended by Director General of Police, Mr. Kuldeep Khoda and Principal Secretary, Home, Mr. B. R. Sharma.

“During the meeting, it was decided that DIG, North Kashmir Range, Mr. Muneer Ahmad Khan, will be the overall in-charge of the ongoing investigation. The meeting also reviewed the progress of the magisterial inquiry being conducted by SDM, Sopore, Mr. Muhammad Ahsan Mir. In order to ensure fair and impartial investigation into the incident, it was decided to transfer SP Sopore with immediate effect”, it added.

Immediately after the 31-month-long Omar Abdullah government’s first custodial killing surfaced on Sunday last, Government had ordered attachment of the head of SOG Sopore, Dy SP Ashiq Hussain Tak, besides suspension of three more Police officials, registration of a murder case against Police, a Police inquiry to be headed by DIG North Kashmir Munir Khan, besides a magisterial inquiry, to be conducted by SDM Sopore, Mohammad Ahsan Mir, and supervised by DC Baramulla, Bashir Ahmed Bhat.

On his Twitter, Chief Minister had announced in unambiguous terms that there would be a no-nonsense investigation and follow up action without any delay and excuse.

Sources said that immediately after IGP Kashmir, S M Sahai, left for New Delhi to participate in the funeral and condolence meetings of his maternal uncle, Chief Minister conveyed his decision to MoS Home, Principal Secretary Home and DGP. Even as DGP did not favour shifting of SPs at this stage and wanted action only after completion of the investigation, Government decided to go for the minor shake-up in Police. According to sources, DGP also expressed his apprehensions that shifting of senior Police officers, who according to him, had impressively functioned and controlled both militancy as well as law and order situation, could demoralize rank and file in Police and paramilitary forces.

Reports from Sopore said that immediately after learning about the SP’s unceremonious ouster, hundreds of youth gathered and began enforcing shutdown in advance of Geelani’s call. They heckled a delegation of PDP legislators and forced it to return without visiting the bereaved family. The delegation was led by senior Vice President of PDP, Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari. Sixteen MLAs and four MLCs were in the delegation alongwith few other party leaders. Party’s patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, President Mehbooba Mufti and senior leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig were conspicuously absent. Sources said that the Muftis earlier today left to New Delhi to see off Mehbooba’s daughter who was leaving for overseas studies.

Reports said that groups of youth shouted pro-Azadi, anti-India, anti-Police and anti-Government slogans and resorted to heavy stone pelting on the PDP cavalcade, forcing it to return to Srinagar. Back home, Ansari alleged that NC’s workers had, in fact, attacked the PDP cavalcade. Reports said that Police had a tough time in rescuing the PDP leaders and dispersing the crowds with baton charge and tearsmoke.

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