Day after burglars decamped with cash from an aged vendor in old Srinagar, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar, Sandeep Choudhary gave Rs 1 lakh from his pocket to the vendor while efforts of the Police are on to arrest the burglars.
Abdul Rehman, a roadside vendor who sells channa (chickpeas), was thrashed by some burglars at Bohri Kadal area of Srinagar on Saturday.
Rehman lives alone and makes his living by selling channa on his handcart.
On Saturday, Rehman was carrying Rs 1.60 lakh with him, Rs 1 lakh in one pocket and Rs 60,000 in another.
When somebody sent SSP Srinagar Sandeep Choudhary an image and text about the incident on his personal phone number, he was moved and assured the person that he would look into the matter.
After getting the details from respective the police station, he decided to pay Rs 1 lakh to the vendor from his pocket.
He also ordered ensuring arrest of the three burglars.
The concerned police station registered a case into the incident and started intense efforts to arrest the burglars and the suspects are being identified.
“We have been asked to take the burglars to the task in the shortest possible time and efforts are on to nab them,” a Police official posted in old Srinagar said.
“The SSP sent money on Sunday afternoon and told us to pay the vendor till the burglars are arrested,” he said and quoted the SSP as saying that helping a person who works tirelessly just to earn a penny was in itself a service to humanity.
The gesture of the police officer is winning hearts in Kashmir and internet is abuzz with praise for the senior IPS officer.
A lot of people on social media hailed the SSP’s move.
At the same time, they have expressed hope that the burglars are caught and punished under the law.
“Thrashing an old man and snatching money is an inhuman act,” said Maroof Ahmad Dar. “The gesture of the SSP is quite welcome.”
Another netizen Abrar Ahmad Sheikh termed the SSP’s act as noble.
“But catching burglars must be a priority,” he said. “They must be given an exemplary punishment so that such incidents do not take place in the future.”