SRINAGAR: Blaming smartphones for growing incidents of rifle-snatching, Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday imposed a blanket ban on their use by the sentries.
“It has been observed that recent weapon snatching incidents have occurred due to the reason that sentries on duty remain engaged with their smartphones for most of the time thereby compromising with their legitimate duty. This tendency has considerably increased and resulted in weapon snatching/killing of police cops in the state, particularly in the Valley,” said an order issued by Additional Director General of Police Armed JK, AK Choudhary.
“The tendency not only lowered the image of police organization but also compromises with personal security of the individual. This speaks volumes about lack of supervision and sensitization of lower subordinates with inputs and overall security situation in and around a particular area”.
Saying no sentry will be allowed to use smartphones while on duty, the order read: “No sentry shall carry with him any smartphone during duty hours under any circumstances. All sentries, particularly on guard duty, shall wear BP gear and chain their weapons with their belts properly. All the guards shall introduce improvised alarm system. All the guard personnel shall remain available round the clock in their respective guard rooms in a state of alertness and in proper uniform during day-time”.
The unit duty officers, according to the order, have been directed to take hourly situation report from all company commanders. “All guard personnel shall ensure compliance with the standing drill in letter and spirit. They shall have liaised with nearest district police installations/security force’s (SFs) pickets,” read the order.
The order comes a day after a special police officer decamped with a rifle from the residence of a political leader in north Kashmir.