A special police officer who escaped with several rifles and a pistol from the residence of a Peoples Democratic Party legislator in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar last week has joined the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Greater Kashmir reported on Monday.
Aadil Bashir, a native of Zainpora village of Shopian, was employed as a special police officer last year. Bashir was guarding the residence of PDP MLA Aijaz Ahmad Mir in Srinagar.
“The SPO had executed the plan with the help of a civilian who also hails from Shopian district,” said Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Munir Khan, adding that the civilian has been identified and will be arrested soon.
Asked whether a photograph on social media showing Bashir carrying a gun posing with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen’s top commander Zeenat-ul-Islam and other members, was authentic, Khan said police are investigating the veracity of the photograph. “It was expected that Aadil would join Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.”
Bashir was involved in stone-pelting incidents in 2014, before being recruited as a special police officer, Kashmir Reader reported citing police officials. Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh also confirmed that Bashir had earlier come in contact with militants.
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