3 J&K cops abducted, shot dead
VALLEY ON EDGE Many of the SPOS take to social media to distance themselves from police department; fear grips parties contesting polls
KAPARAN: Three policemen were allegedly taken from their homes in Kashmir early on Friday morning by armed militants and were found dead hours later with gunshot wounds, two days after the Hizbul Mujahideen issued a “final ultimatum” for locals to resign from police jobs.
The victims were two police constables and a special police officer (SPO) kidnapped from the villages of Batagund and Kaparan. All three, Nisar Ahmad, Kulwant Singh and Firdous Kuchay, were found dead at apple orchards nearby, while a fourth person – a relative of one of them — was let go.
Jammu and Kashmir’s director general of police (DGP), Dilbagh Singh, said the killings were an “act of desperation”. “Police successfully carried out operations against militants and now they chose soft targets when they (policemen) were at home. We condemn this act,” he said.
An official in the state police said militant group Hizbul as well as Lashkar e-taiba were suspected for the murders. He asked not to be named.
This year, at least 37 policemen have been killed by militants, many of them while they were at home on leave. Friday’s deaths took place close to south Kashmir’s Shopian, a district where local support has been strong for militants.
A family member of one of the victims, SPO Kulwant Singh, said the abductors, armed with Kalashnikov rifles, asked him to go with them for questioning.
“My cousin was abducted by a group of gunmen who came to his house in the early hours when most of the family members were sleeping,” said Jagdish Singh.
“He accompanied them as everyone thought they will let him go after questioning. Our neighbours assured us that nothing will happen to him as he had never harmed anyone. After a few hours, we received the news of his killing,” he said.
SRINAGAR: The abduction and killing of three policemen in south Kashmir’s Shopian has vitiated the already tense atmosphere for the coming municipal and panchayat elections in the state.
The killings have prompted a wave of fear among local special police officers (SPOS), some of whom took to social media to distance themselves from the police department and triggered more worry among people who have been associated with local bodies.
“With each passing say, the atmosphere is turning scary. The incidents of violence are continuing which is a matter of concern for us,” said Shafiq Mir, president of the All J&K Panchayat Conference (AJKPC), an organisation of former panchayat members of the state.
The AJKPC had announced that its members will contest the panchayat elections to be held in November and December amid calls from militants and separatists to boycott the polls.
Nissar Ahmad, Firdous Ahmad Kuchay and Kuldeep Singh were killed after suspected militants abducted them in Shopian and later their bodies were recovered nearby.
The elections for 72 municipal committees, six municipal councils and two municipal corporations will start from October 8. Panchayat elections to 35,096 panch constituencies will be held in nine phases from November 17. There has been a poor response to filing nominations for the municipal elections in the past four days.
SUBDUED RESPONSE TO FILING PAPERS
An official of urban local bodies said that the optimism for filling nomination papers for the municipal elections is missing. “The killings of the policemen will have an impact. From the government side, preparations are in full swing,” he said.
The state’s two major political parties, National Conference and Peoples’ Democratic Party, have announced that they will boycott the elections, citing the “atmosphere of fear” in the state over the uncertain future of Article 35A .
Last month, militant outfit Hizbul Mujahedeen warned people against participating in the polls. Separatists have also asked people to boycott the elections.
Chief electoral officer Shaleen Kabra said that the subdued response for filing papers was a “usual process”. “In every election, the process starts slowly. We expect people will participate in these elections as these are meant for local issues,” Kabra said.
DGP Dilbag Singh has directed senior police officials to work out deployment plans for foolproof security.
The police have deputed more than 16,000 central paramilitary force personnel in various districts of the Valley for the elections.
Mir is still hopeful of a change in the situation. “There is a month to go for the panchayat polls. I hope the situation improves in south Kashmir. Let’s not prejudge things,” he said.
Last panchayat polls in the state were held in 2011 and panchayats completed their term in July 2016. Elections to municipal bodies were held in 2005 and their five-year term expired in 2010.
With each passing say, the atmosphere is turning scary. The incidents of violence are a matter of concern.
SHAFIQ MIR, All J&K Panchayat Conference president