'Missing rifle of JK cop found near stream in Poonch'

The service rifle of a Jammu and Kashmir policeman, which had gone missing last week, was recovered from a desolate place in Poonch district, a senior police officer said Tuesday.

The missing automatic AK weapon, belonging to a policeman, was recovered by a search party from near a stream in Shanker Nagar locality in the district. It was found kept hidden, Senior Superintendent of Police (Poonch) Rajiv Pandey said.

The rifle went missing from the Poonch district police lines on August 28 following which an inquiry was ordered and the concerned policeman was placed under suspension.

A special investigation team was also formed to recover the weapon.

An investigation into the matter was launched. It was suspected that someone might have hidden the weapon at some blind spot during the last few days. Accordingly, different teams conducted searches at more than 100 such spots and other suspected locations in and around Poonch town, the officer said.

The weapon was finally recovered this morning, he said.

The police are now investigating as to how the weapon went missing, the officer said.