SHO attached for 'kidnapping' Law Secretary to Police Station 

DGP ordered action after Law Minister Basharat Bukhari set two-hour deadline, threatened to shut office at Civil Secretariat

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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SRINAGAR, Sep 17: SHO Shaheed Gunj was removed from his posting and attached to District Police Lines Srinagar on Thursday after Law Minister Syed Basharat Bukhari alleged that he had 'kidnapped' Law Secretary Mohammad Ashraf Mir from Civil Secretariat to Police Station and threatened to shut his own office if Police failed to take "necessary action" within a deadline of two hours.

Sources associated with the crisis management at Civil Secretariat revealed to STATE TIMES that a Traffic Policeman on duty outside the Civil Secretariat entrance stopped Law Secretary Mohammad Ashraf Mir's official car---a white colour Honda City----and signalled its driver to proceed towards Batmaloo, while preventing him from entering the Secretariat premises, at around 10.00 a.m. As the driver was pleading with the Constable that he was carrying an administrative Secretary to his office on usual duty, SHO Shaheed Gunj Inspector Nissar Ahmad Hurra rushed to the spot, dragged the driver out, snatched away his keys and whisked away the vehicle to Police Station.

Law Secretary resisted and asked why he was being waylaid but the SHO did not relent until he dropped him at Police Station Shaheed Gunj. The vehicle was seized and Mr Mir asked to go wherever he wanted to. He called a private vehicle which ferried him to his office. He brought the episode to the notice of Home Secretary and Law Minister Bukhari. The Minister took a strong notice and communicated to DGP K. Rajendra Kumar that he would shut his own office and call a press conference if the SHO was not shifted from the Civil Lines and attached within two hours.

Senior Police officials were initially disinclined to take any action or apologise to Law Secretary. However, when they learned that the Minister was going to file a complaint with Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, they swung into action and rushed to the Civil Secretariat. Mr Bukhari made it clear to them that the matter could not be resolved with their apologies. He insisted that Police should remove the SHO from his posting and attach him immediately. Thereafter, on DGP's direction, SSP Srinagar Amit Kumar issued Order No: 2721 of 2015. Vide this order, Inspector Hurra was attached to DPL Srinagar and a departmental inquiry was ordered against him. Probationary Dy SP Zohaib Hassan was appointed as SHO Shaheed Gunj.

While Law Minister Bukhari's cellphone was switched off, Law Secretary Mir said: "Traffic constable was telling my driver that we couldn't enter Secretariat as CM's cavalcade was about to pass by the entrance. As the argument was going on between the Traffic cop and my driver, SHO came rushing, dragged my driver out, snatched away his keys and began driving my car towards Shaheed Gunj. His PSO with AK-47 also boarded. As I asked the SHO where he was taking me, he maintained that we would soon come to know about our destination. He dropped me at the Police Station, seized the vehicle and asked me to go wherever I wanted to. Thereafter I returned by a private vehicle".

Mr Mir told STATE TIMES that he met Home Secretary and Law Minister with his complaint. "Later, IGP Kashmir visited and apologised on behalf of Police. The crisis was resolved with the attachment of the SHO and an inquiry was ordered against him", Mr Mir said. He said that DGP too cajoled him on phone.

IGP Kashmir Javaid Mujtaba Gilani confirmed that Inspector Nissar Ahmad Hurra was attached to DPL Srinagar and a departmental inquiry was initiated against his conduct. He, nevertheless, refused to admit that the SHO had kidnapped the Law Secretary. "Chief Minister's cavalcade was about to pass. For security reasons, Police don't allow any vehicle to block its way. There was reportedly some argument and the car was driven off to the Police Station. We have attached the SHO and ordered an inquiry", IGP Kashmir told STATE TIMES.

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[Published in today's STATE TIMES]