Srinagar, Sep 28 (IANS): The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday shifted the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) national highway and attached him with the police headquarters.

An order issued by R.K. Goyal, financial commissioner/additional chief secretary (Home) said that Shabir Ahmad Malik, SSP national highway "is transferred and attached with the J&K police headquarters with immediate effect".

The SSP (Ramban) has been assigned the additional charge of national highway till further orders.

Although no specific reason was given for serving marching orders to the SSP national highway, it is generally believed that the public outcry over the long delay in allowing the apple carrying trucks to move to Jammu from the Valley has prompted action against the police officer.

Fruit growers in the Valley have suffered huge losses due to the delay in allowing their produce to reach the terminal markets on time.

Apple is a perishable community and unless it reaches the terminal market within a week of being plucked from the tree, the crop starts rotting in the cardboard boxes used to transport it.