Srinagar: A Special Police Officer (SPO) was arrested for murdering a constable, who had allegedly sexually assaulted him at health resort of Pahalgam in Anantnag district. “Police constable Sameer Kumar went missing from Srinagar on May 14, following which a missing complaint was filed and investigation was taken up,” Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Central Kashmir Range (CKR) Ghulam Hassan Bhat told a press conference here today. He said during investigation, it surfaced that the Constable was found absent on May 14 from his duty after he was deployed for Naka duty at Nowgam in Srinagar on the previous day.
He said the constable was last seen with an SPO Ajaz Ahmad, who was a friend of the deceased. “The SPO earlier reveled that he along with the deceased procured three liquor bottles from Batwara on May 13 at 1900 hrs. The constable also consumed some other dry intoxicants and at 2200 hrs, the duo moved towards Anantnag. After reaching Sangam they produced some cannabis and started their journey towards Pahalgam,” he said.
The DIG said after reaching Pahalgam at 0300 hrs, they consumed liquor and Charas and decided to stay in the vehicle till the morning. “The two then met with the uncle of the deceased, Head Constable Dileep Kumar, who was on his way to Kupwara, at Pahalgam. They then dropped the HC in District Police Line (DPL) Kupwara and started their journey back to Srinagar at 1300 hrs,” he said. Mr Bhat said SPO had earlier claimed that the Constable under the influence of alcohol and an emotional outburst over a failed relationship with a girl jumped into river Puhroo in Kupwara.
However, he said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to look into the details of the case. “During further questioning by the SIT, the SPO confessed that he killed the Constable and threw his body into the river. He confessed that during their visit to Pahalgam, the constable had sexually assaulted him in the vehicle and also threatened him that he will disclose it to their colleagues,” the police official said.
He said the accused claimed that in order to protect himself from social stigma he made up his mind to kill the Constable. “To execute his plan, the accused stopped the vehicle near Yunsu while returning from Kupwara and lifted a stone from the roads and hit the Constable on the head. The constable died on the spot. In order to dispose of the body, he drove towards Kultoora from Yunsoo and threw it in Pohru river."
“Police have seized the vehicle. The blood stains traced from the vehicle have been sent for forensic examination for DNA profiling and matching,” he said. Meanwhile, efforts are on to fish out the body of the deceased from the river. (UNI)