Week after cops’ killing, over 20 Kashmir SHOs get bulletproof cars

29 policemen have been killed in the past a year and half in militant attacks in Kashmir with six being killed in a militant ambush in Achabal area last week

NEW DELHI A week after six Jammu and Kashmir policemen, including an officer, were killed in an ambush by militants, over 20 station house officers (SHO) posted in sensitive areas of the Valley will get bulletproof vehicles for movement.

“Owing to the level of threat that exists to local police officers, it was imperative that they travel their areas in these vehicles,” a senior J&K police officer told HT, adding that the vehicles will be given to officers in parts of south Kashmir and other disturbed areas of the Valley.

According to reports, 29 policemen have been killed in the last one and a half years in militant attacks in Kashmir.

Last week, six policemen, including station house officer Feroz Ahmed, were killed in a militant ambush at Thujwara in Achabal area of south Kashmir.

Following the attack, senior police officials decided to transfer bulletproof vehicles given to them by the government to the station house officers for the time being, the officer said.

The move comes amidst reports that the slain officer Feroz Ahmed, a native of the region, had requested for a bulletproof vehicle several times before his death due to threat posed by the militants.

SP Vaid, director general of police, without specifying, said a lot of bulletproof vehicles were destroyed during the 2014 floods and during the agitation that followed the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani.

“J&K Police is sufficiently equipped to deal in the current situation, but a lot of our vehicles were destroyed during the flood and in the 2016 agitation, but we are trying our best to safeguard our officers, and at the same time, fight militancy,” Vaid said.

J&K Police is sufficiently equipped to deal in the current situation, but a lot of our vehicles have been destroyed in recent past.

SP VAID, director general of police

REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE The move comes amid reports that the slain officer Feroz Ahmed had requested for a bulletproof vehicle several times before his death due to threat posed by the militants