‘Nothing is More Important Than my Family’s Safety’, Says J&K Cop Who Quit

After the killing of three special police officers (SPO) in Kapran village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district on September 21, more than 40 police personnel, including a female cop,  have resigned from Jammu and Kashmir Police.

As per reports in the valley, within three hours of the killing of the SPOs in Kulgam Pulwama and Shopian, some policemen announced their resignation during the congregational Friday prayers in local Jama Masjids, and a few of them also purportedly published videos on Facebook and WhatsApp groups in this regard. This, however, has been brushed off as ‘rumour mongering’ by the J&K Police.

However, the policemen who announced resignation publicly have been identified as Rafia Akhtar r/o Bongam Kulgam, SPO Tajjala Hussian Lone s/o Abdul Wahab Lone r/o Shopian, Constable Irshad Ahmad Baba, Mohammad Ashraf R/o Mughlapora Shopian, SPO Ghulam Mohi U Din Bhat R/o Shopian, SPO Fayaz Ahmad Ahanger s/o Abdul Aziz Ahanger r/o Manzgam Kulgam, SPO  Javaid Ahmad Lone s/o Ghulam Hassan Lone r/o Kulgam, SPO, Mohammad Amin Bhat s/o Sannaullah Bhat, SPO Nawaz Ahmad Lone r/o Kulgam, Umer Bashir Nengroo son of Bashir Ahmad Nengroo r/o Kapran Shopian, SPO Nazir r/o Pulwama, Tawseef Ahmad Para s/o Khazer Ahmad Para, Tariq Ahmad, Sikander Bhakt, Muzaffar Ahmad, Mohammad Asif, Ishfaq Ahmad, Sajad Ahmad, SPO Mukhtar Ahmad Lone, SPO Sabzar Yousuf Ganai r/o Kanailwan Banpora.  

On the evening of the same day, the J&K Police spokesman said that the news about the resignation of the cops was baseless. “No SPO, or policemen have resigned these are just rumours,” he said.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs also refuted claims of six police personnel, including SPOs and constables, from South Kashmir, resigning in the wake of killings in the valley, reported ANI.

Safety, a Key Concern

However, Tawseef Ahmad Para, who filed his resignation on Friday, told Newsclick that nothing was more important than his and his family’s life. Tawseef is a resident of Shopian which is a hotbed of militancy in J&K.

Responding to the statement of Ministry of the Home Affairs, Tawseef said his resignation was “not fake.”

Four months earlier,  Tawseef has taken oath to serve the rest of his life as a policeman, but within four months he has changed his decision.

“My family asked me to quit the job due to the situation in the valley, especially in South Kashmir. No one pressured me to file the resignation. No doubt I took an oath, but nothing is more important than my family’s safety,” Tawseef said.  

Tawseef, who joined the police ranks after finishing his graduation, has now decided to pursue his MBA in Delhi and also be a part of the family business.

Ground Situation ‘at its Worst’

Another policeman, on condition of anonymity, told NewsClick that the ground situation in Kashmir was at its worst. No one can assure the security of cops or their families.

Hizbul Mujahideen Chief Riyaz Naikoo last month released an audio clip in which he warned all the cops and SPOs to leave their job before September 19, and live a normal life.

The resignations in South Kashmir follow the killing of three SPO personnel.  On Friday morning around 7:00 am, three policemen were kidnapped by militants, and after few hours their bullet-ridden bodies were found by the locals in Lamni-Wangam in Shopian.

Last month, 25 SPOs resigned from their posts in Tral and Awantipora an area of Pulwama district.

However, when asked about the resignation of polcie personnel, the Superintendent of Police, Awantipora, Mohammad Zahid Malik told NewsClick that “nothing like this had happened”.