SRI NAGAR: Concerned over weapon snatching in the Kashmir Valley, J&K Police has banned its personnel from using smartphones on guard duty.
ADG, Armed, AK Choudhary has asked policemen on guard duties to wear bulletproof jackets, chain weapons to belts, introduce improvised alarm systems and avoid smartphones, to prevent weapon snatching.
"It has been observed that recent weapon snatching incidents have taken place as sentries on duty remain engaged with their smartphones … thereby compromising with their legitimate duty. This tendency has considerably increased and resulted in weapon snatching/killing of policemen in the Valley," reads the order.
It states the tendency not only sullies the image of the police force but also compromised with security. Four weapons were snatched from policemen in two incidents at Srinagar in last 10 days.
Militants snatched an AK-47 rifle from a policeman in Kashmir University campus. Similarly, three rifles were looted from a police picket at Srinagar's Dalgate area.
“All the guard personnel shall remain available round-the-clock in their respective guard rooms in alertness and in proper uniform during day-time," the order states. It directs the duty officers to take hourly situation report from all company commanders.
The order directs duty officers to take hourly situation report from all company commanders. “All guard personnel shall have to liaise with nearest district police installations/security force's pickets,” it says.
Commandants of Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police/India Reserve Battalions and supervisory officers will have to ensure implementation of these orders. They also have been told to ensure that all officers of their respective units are briefed adequately in this regard for better results on the ground.
The order warned that in case of any delinquency, the commandants and other supervisory officers concerned shall also be held responsible.