London: In an effort to track down criminals fleeing to Kashmir after committing crimes in the United Kingdom, the West Midlands Police plans to open a station in Srinagar.

Under the West Midland Force's plan, upto 28 officers will be based in the Srinagar station, about half of whom will be British and the Indians constituting the remaining, media report said in London.

Shah said that one detective from the West Midlands had already been to Kashmir three or four times this year at a cost of more than 5,000 pounds a time. He said that David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, had expressed support for the scheme when informed of it at the National Black Police Association conference in Cardiff in September.

The idea, the 'Sunday Telegraph' says, has received backing elsewhere, including from the Hampshire detective leading the hunt for the murderer of Hannah Foster, a student from Southampton, whose killer is believed to be Indian.

Detective Supt Alan Betts, of Hampshire Police said that he had been to Kashmir twice on the trail of Maninder Pal Singh Kholi, who is wanted for the alleged murder on March 14 this year of 17-year-old Hannah. She was abducted as she walked home in Southampton.

"Personally, I think it would be a benefit. There are no British police officers in India. I would support this because it would give much better liaison between the two countries. There could be benefits and savings," said Betts.

He made a second trip to New Delhi last month after receiving clearance from the Indian government to carry out inquiries in the case being prepared by the Crown Prosecution Service.

PTI