SOG cop dies in accident in J&K's Budgam; probe on

SRINAGAR: A policeman of the Special Operations Group (SOG) was killed and another injured in a road accident on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district.

Police said that the accident happened at the Bailey Bridge in the Chadoora area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

Police said that the two SOG men were travelling in an official vehicle when it hit the steel girder of the Bailey Bridge, leaving both of them injured.

He said the injured personnel were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared one of them dead, while the other is undergoing treatment.

The deceased was later identified as Tariq Ahmad, a resident of Hanjura and the injured as Riyaz Ahmed.

Police have taken cognisance of the incident and launched an investigation. More details are awaited.

The Special Operations Group is a police tactical unit of the Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) that specialises in counterinsurgency and counterterrorism, and operates in difficult-to-access terrain.

The unit's missions primarily involve anti-irregular military, apprehension of armed and dangerous criminals, counterterrorism and hostage rescue crisis management, counterinsurgency, covert operation, executive protection, high-risk tactical law enforcement situations, operating in difficult to access terrain, protecting high-level meeting areas, providing security in areas at risk of attack or terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, special reconnaissance in difficult to access and dangerous areas, support crowd control and riot control, and special operations.

This unit is approximately 4000 plus strong.

It is trained and equipped to handle high-stakes situations, and its personnel are selected from more than 1,00,000 personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

The J&K Police have since been very competent on the front lines against anti-terror activities. The SOG members are also the first targets of the militant groups and local separatists alike. Since its inception, the unit has played an important role in suppressing terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.