Did Kashmir BJP leader`s family give AK-56 rifle to militants?

Srinagar: In a new twist to the rifle-snatching case, the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday detained BJP leader Ghulam Muhammad Chopan.

An alarm was raised on Tuesday when suspected militants snatched the service rifle of a policeman, posted as Chopan's personal guard.

However, investigators suspect an 'inside job' behind the incident.

The BJP leader in Jammu and Kashmir's Badgam district had on Tuesday claimed that suspected militants stormed into his residence at Gori Mohalla, Panzan in Chadoora and overpowered his personal security officer (PSO) Constable Bashir Ahmad and ran away with his service rifle.

However, probe suggested that Bashir Ahmad was not present in the house when the incident took place.

Ahmad, who was at his home, had reportedly kept the AK-56 rifle at BJP leader's house and when “some people” came, it was given to them by Chopan's family members.

"PSO was not at the residence of Chopan when some people came and asked the family members to hand over the gun. His family members immediately went inside and handed over the gun and magazines to them. Later the suspects fled away on the bikes," DNA has quoted a police source as saying.

Police sources said Chopan was detained because he tried to mislead the investigators. "We are trying to find out why he lied? Did he try to mislead on someone's behest? We are questioning him to unravel the truth," the daily quoted the source as saying.