Doda, June 19 :
A man who escaped with an AK-47 rifle belonging to a Special Police Officer (SPO) in Doda district was apprehended within 24 hours, police said on Wednesday.
The suspect, identified as Mohammad Rafi, was caught in a forest near the Bhalla area of Doda district, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Javed Iqbal.
Iqbal confirmed that Rafi was arrested near his village. Regarding the recovery of the weapon, Iqbal stated that the investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being made to determine Rafi’s motive for fleeing with the rifle.
Rafi absconded with the AK-47 rifle of SPO Safar Hussain on Tuesday while they were en route to Trown in Bhalla. The incident occurred when Hussain stepped out of their vehicle at Pul Doda to purchase essentials, and Rafi took the opportunity to flee with the weapon.
A major search operation was launched, and Rafi was apprehended in the forest area Wednesday morning.
The decamping of the man in the Chenab valley had created a sort of security alarm in a region which has seen a series of attacks for the past some time now.
It can be recalled that on Tuesday June 11, terrorists fired on a joint checkpost of the 4 Rashtriya Rifles and police at Chattergalla in Bhaderwah even as a search party in the Gandoh area of the Jammu and Kashmir district was attacked on Wednesday resulting in injuries to seven security personnel, including a policeman.
Following the attacks, the Jammu and Kashmir Police released sketches of four terrorists who are believed to be in the upper reaches of Bhaderwah, Thathri, Gandoh and carrying out terror-related activities, a police spokesperson said. He said that a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh for information about each of the terrorists has also been announced.
