Missing Special Police Officer joins Hizbul Mujahideen

A special police officer (SPO) who went missing from Pampore police station in Jammu and Kashmir with an AK-47 rifle, has joined the Hizbul Mujahideen, the militant group reportedly confirmed.
Hizb spokesman Burhan-u-Din called a local news agency and claimed that Irfan Ahmad Dar had joined the group.
In a tele-statement, the Operational Spokesman of Hizbul-Mujahideen Burhan-u-Din said,“SPO Irfan Ahmad Dar a resident of Nehama Kakapora of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district who fled with the rifle has joined Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.”

Search operation underway for a Special Police Officer (SPO) who went missing after reportedly leaving from Pampore police station with an AK-47 rifle. #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/iPazJYLChs

— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2018

The spokesperson also quoted Hizbul’s field operational commander Mohammad Bin Qasim, as saying, “We appeal all Jammu and Kashmir police cadres to give up their job and join Hizbul Mujahideen to give a push to the resistance struggle.”

“SPO Irfan Ahmad Dar, a resident of Nehama Kakapora of Pulwama district, who fled with his rifle, has joined Hizb-ul-Mujahideen,” the spokesman said.
Dar went missing on Tuesday from Pampore police station along with the AK-47 rifle. Police said earlier that a hunt had been launched to trace him.
Earlier, Superintendent of Police Awantipora, Muhammad Zahid Malik confirmed that the SPO is missing since the evening of 26 June.

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“We have contacted his family and we are yet confirming if he has fled with his rifle or not,” said Malik.
Earlier this month, 44 Rashtriya Rifles jawan Aurangzeb was first abducted and then killed by militants when he was on his way home to celebrate Eid. His murder provoked strong reactions across the country.
SPOs are engaged on a fixed monthly packet in Jammu and Kashmir to fight militancy. They are neither trained in handling firearms nor are they issued service weapons.