SRI NAGAR: Davinder Singh, the Deputy SP who was arrested with two Hizbul terrorists on Saturday, would be treated like a terrorist, the J&K Police said on Sunday.
Security agencies have launched a probe to unearth a suspected police-militants nexus after Singh was intercepted with two terrorists whom he was ferrying in a car in the Kashmir Valley. Police, RAW and IB are quizzing Singh for possible leads.
In Srinagar, IG, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar informed the media that the police has registered an FIR with relevant sections of the Arms Act, the Explosives Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Singh to probe his alleged links with terrorists.
Singh had done a lot work in anti-militancy operations, the IG said.
“However, the circumstances in which he was caught is a heinous crime and that is why he is being treated the way a terrorist is treated,” Kumar said.
The Shopian SP had received an intelligence input about movement of terrorists, who had left in a car from Shopian towards the highway. “The terrorists had planned to reach Jammu,” he said.
A police team led by DIG, South Kashmir, Atul Goel intercepted the car at Wanpoh in which Singh was found behind the steering wheel.
“After a search, two Hizb terrorists, including a top commander, Davinder Singh, and an advocate, who is listed as Over Ground Worker (OGW) of militants, were arrested,” Kumar said.
While the two arrested terrorists were Hizbul deputy chief Naveed Babu and his associate Rafi Rather, the advocate was identified as Irfan Shafi.
Some arms and ammunition were recovered from the vehicle while a cache of weapons was recovered from Singh’s residence, the senior officer said.
The IG said Naveed, who was deputy chief of Hizbul, was involved in many terrorist activities, including attacks on non-local truckers and setting ablaze apple orchards in south Kashmir in August-September last year.