J&K police denies Davinder Singh was awarded by Home Ministry

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police has denied that Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Davinder Singh, who was nabbed with Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Naveed Babu on Saturday, was awarded any gallantry or meritorious medal by the Ministry of Home Affairs as has been reported by some sections of the media.

In a series of tweets, the J&K Police said: “It is to clarify that Dysp Davinder Singh is not awarded any Gallantry or Meritorious Medal by MHA as has been reported by some media outlets/persons. Only gallantry medal awarded to him during his service is by the erstwhile J&K State on Independence Day 2018.”

The police said that the medal was awarded to him for his participation in countering a fidayeen attack by terrorists at the district police lines in Pulwama on August 25-26, 2017, when he was posted as a DSP in the district police lines, Pulwama.

The police has advised the media persons “to avoid speculative stories not based on facts”.

A section of the media had reported that Singh was awarded the presidential award for gallantry last year.

In another tweet, the police said: “Jammu and Kashmir Police is known for its professionalism & doesn’t spare anyone including its own cadres if found involved in any unlawful act or unbecoming conduct.

“We have done it in the past in many cases and now in this particular case, where it has caught its own officer on its own input and action and would continue to abide by our code of conduct and the Law of the Land which is same for everyone.

“A special investigation team of the Jammu and Kashmir Police is handling interrogation of the arrested accused officer and the terrorists, which would probe his criminal conduct in the instant case and his involvement in any such criminal acts in the past,” the tweet said.

Davinder Singh is being interrogated for his role in helping terrorist Naveed Babu to escape from Kashmir to Pakistan.

Singh is also being investigated for sheltering the top Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, who was involved in the killing of non-local truck drivers and labourers, and forcing a shutdown in south Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.

Published on: Jan 14, 2020 at 15:13 IST

IANS