A Chinese-made assault rifle scope was recovered by police from near the Jammu and Kashmir headquarters of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), triggering a security alert in the area.
A six-year-old boy was spotted playing with the scope in the Asrarabad area of Jammu’s Sidhra locality, as per officials. When questioned, the child’s family said he had picked it up from a nearby garbage dump earlier in the day.
The recovery of the scope, which can be mounted on an assault or sniper rifle, prompted security agencies to launch a search operation in and around the Sidhra area. Senior police officers also visited the spot as part of the investigation.
A 24-year-old man has been detained from Samba district in connection with the recovery, news agency PTI reported.
Telescope-Like Optical Device Found
Confirming the incident, a police spokesperson said Jammu (Rural) Police had recovered a telescope-like optical device that can be fitted onto a weapon. Teams from the police and the Special Operations Group (SOG) are jointly probing how the attachment reached the area.
Authorities have advised the public not to panic while investigations continue.
In a separate development, police also took a man identified as Tanvir Ahmad into custody from Samba district after a “Pakistani” phone number was allegedly found on his mobile phone. Officials said Ahmad is a resident of Anantnag in south Kashmir and is currently living in Samba.