Protectees should not go anywhere without PSOs, security clearance: IGP

Srinagar, Jun 3: Hours after a BJP municipal councilor was killed by suspected militants at Tral in south Kashmir district of Pulwama, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Vijay Kumar on Thursday said that no protectee should go anywhere without Personal Security Officers (PSOs).
Kumar said that the visits of protected persons are allowed only after ground assessment of local threat is done. “Request is to all protectees not to violate Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) and risk their lives unnecessarily,” he added.
The appeal by the Kashmir police chief comes in the backdrop of the killing of a BJP municipal councilor, who had gone to Tral area in Pulwama on Wednesday without any security despite being given two PSOs.
Official sources said that three suspected militants fired at BJP municipal councilor Rakesh Pandita at Tral late on Wednesday night. “Pandita and a woman were critically injured in the incident,” they said, adding the wounded were rushed to a hospital where the BJP leader was declared brought dead.
They said the suspected militants managed to escape from the spot under the cover of darkness, adding security forces have been rushed and a search operation has been launched to nab the attackers. “Pandita was visiting his friend at Tral,” they said.
A police spokesperson said that despite providing two PSOs and secured hotel accommodation in Srinagar, the councilor went to Tral without any security. “Militants shot dead one councillor namely Rakesh Pandita in Tral. Despite provided two PSOs and secured hotel accommodation in Srinagar, the said councillor went to Tral without PSOs. Area cordoned off & search is going on,” Kashmir Zone Police, which is the official twitter handle of J&K police, tweeted.