SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir police today constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to trace a constable who went missing from Kupwara district 10 days ago. Constable Sameer Kumar has not reported for duty since May 14 and a missing report stands lodged in Sherghari police station in this regard, a police spokesman said. An investigation was going on to trace the missing constable, he said.
The order for setting up of the SIT was issued by Inspector General of Police, Kashmir. "Following the directions, Senior Superintendent of Police Srinagar Imtiyaz Ismail Parry constituted the team headed by SDPO, Shaheed Gunj, Amrit Pal in order to expedite the tracing of missing constable," the spokesman said. Posted in Srinagar, the constable had gone to Kupwara along with his uncle Head Constable Dileep Kumar.
According to reports, after dropping his uncle at district police lines Kupwara, the constable reached Yonsoo bridge at Chogal, Handwara, and "jumped into the Puhroo river reportedly under the influence of liquor," a police official said.
All angles are being looked into, the spokesman said, adding that marine commandos of the navy have also been pressed into service along with the police to trace him. Earlier, Kashmiri Pandits, suspecting foul play, held a demonstration in Jammu to protest against the police failure to trace the constable.
National Conference leader and former MLC Vijay Bakaya expressed concern over the "mysterious disappearance" of the cop and called for putting the "factual position" in public domain to offset apprehensions. "There is genuine anxiety among the people about the missing constable, who want truth to be brought to fore," said Bakaya, a former chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, in a statement here.
He regretted that there was no assurance from the police department that the investigation was going on. "It appears that the matter is not being taken with the urgency and seriousness it deserves," he said, expressing his solidarity with the family and all the well wishers of the young constable.