Sepoy Zahoor Ahmed Tokar

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 7

The J&K Police have questioned over six persons, including family members, to trace the whereabouts of a Kashmiri soldier who deserted his base.The police are also investigating whether the soldier, a resident of Pulwama district in south Kashmir, was in contact with militants or any over-ground worker (OGW) back home. Pulwama district is home to nearly 20 militants.Sepoy Zahoor Ahmed Tokar, who was posted in the 173 Territorial Army (Engineering) unit at Gantmulla Baramulla, went missing along with an AK rifle and three magazines.After Tokar went missing, a high alert was sounded as the deserted soldier has a good knowledge of the “security system.” While the police suspect that Tokar may have joined militancy, but so far they have got no confirmation or any hard evidence regarding it.“Before deserting, Tokar had talked to his father and a friend over phone. We questioned them but the duo had no clue about his deserting the Army base,” a senior police officer said. “We have questioned other people also and we are trying to find out whether the soldier had any contact with any militant or OGW in Pulwama. The jawan was in fact home on Eid and had joined after availing two-day leave,” he said.Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Muneer Khan said there was no confirmation about his whereabouts.There have been instances in J&K where policemen have joined militant ranks, but this is the first such incident of a Kashmiri soldier deserting Army ranks. In May this year, Constable Syed Naveed Mushtaq, a resident of Shopian district in south Kashmir, had fled with four INSAS rifles, including his own rifle, from the guard post at the Food Corporation of India godown in Budgam and later joined militant ranks. In past five years, at least five cops have joined militancy in Kashmir.