Questioining of CRPF jawan in Rampur attack yields nothing

Lucknow, Jan 23 (UNI) The questioning of a jawan of the Central Reserve Police Force for his suspicious role in the Fidayeen attack on its camp in Rampur has yielded no results, police has said.

Police had questioned constable Javed of 16 battalion after the attack. The jawan had failed to answer how he kept on sleeping in control room II where one of his colleagues was shot dead by the terrorists. The room had 16 bullet marks.

Javed hails from Baramulla and was a former militant who had joined the paramilitary force after surrendering. While his battalion is deployed in the Kashmir Valley, the constable was on deputation at the Group Centre, Rampur.

''So far we have not found anything against him during questioning...We are not aware of the action the CRPF has taken,'' said additional director general of police (Crime/Law and Order and STF) Brijlal.

''The investigations are still on. Till the time the probe is completed no one can be given a clean chit,'' said a senior Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) officer, adding that as of now the CRPF constable was no more a suspect.

There are a total of 68 officers and jawans from Jammu and Kashmir in the group centre.

In a daring fidayeen attack in the early hours on January 1, two heavily armed fidayeens wearing khaki uniforms had stormed the CRPF Group Centre at Rampur and escaped after mowing down seven security personnel and a civilian.

Two senior officers of the CRPF in charge of the Rampur Group Centre have been suspended. The orders were issued after a clearance from Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

UNI NAB SB AKJ SSC1333