Srinagar: Days after a Special Police Officer of Jammu and Kashmir Police decamped with 7 AK-47 rifles and a pistol from PDP MLA’s residence in uptown Srinagar, police has ordered withdrawal of all the SPO’s performing duties of Personal Security Officers of protected persons.

Adil Bashir, an SPO posted at PDP lawmaker from Wachi constituency Aijaz Mir’s official residence at Jawahar Nagar in Srinagar decamped with the weapons on September 28 and two days later his pictures brandishing the weapons suggested that he had joined a militant outfit.

“It has been observed that some SPOs are performing PSO duties with the protected persons which is not in accordance with the security norms as SPOs are not trained to perform PSO duties,” reads the order issued by ADGP Security, law and order.

“It is hereby ordered that henceforth no unit/SSP shall deploy any SPO for PSO duties and all SPOs except SPO drivers, presently attached with protected persons be immediately withdrawn,” reads the order.

Besides, Range DIGs have been asked to furnish a list of all SPOs to the headquarters by October 5 ‘positively’. “In case any SPO not reports back, an honorarium may not be released and the nominal roll of such SPOs be furnished to this headquarters so that their disengagement orders are issued,” the order further reads.