SRINAGAR – The Occupied Jammu and Kashmir police on Thursday banned use ofsmartphones by its personnel during duty hours in Kashmir, after 10 servicerifles were stolen by militants in the past 28 days.

According to the police, such thefts occurred because the sentries remainengaged with their smartphones and “compromised their legitimate duty.”

“No sentry shall carry any smartphone during duty hours under anycircumstances. All sentries, particularly on guard duty, shall wearbullet-proof gear, and chain their weapons with their belts properly,”reads an order issued by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP),Armed, A.K. Choudhary.

Use of mobilephones “has considerably increased weapon snatching andkilling of policemen, particularly in the Valley,” he said.

The ADGP said the tendency [to be on smartphones] had not only lowered theimage of the police “but also speaks volumes of the lack of supervision andsensitisation of lower subordinates to inputs and security situation in andaround a particular area”. The police have decided to take an hourly“situation report” from all company commanders on any mobile use.

The fresh measure comes as 10 automatic service rifles — five from Budgamin two instances, four from Srinagar in two instances and one from Sopore —were stolen by militants in the past 28 days.

At least eight policemen have been suspended for failing to stop militantsfrom snatching weapons.