Hindustan Times (Jalandhar)

Terrorist guns down two cops in Srinagar

- HTC and agencies letters@hindustant­imes.com

SRINAGAR: A terrorist shot dead two policemen on a busy street in Srinagar on Friday, a day after a delegation of 24 foreign envoys concluded their visit to Jammu and Kashmir, officials familiar with the matter said.

A CCTV video of the incident released by the police shows the terrorist pulling out an assault rifle hidden inside his ‘pheran’, a loose over-garment worn during winters, and firing at the unarmed policemen in the city’s Baghat Barzulla area, which is situated along the high-security airport road, and fleeing from the spot. “The injured policemen, grade constable Mohammad Yousuf of Zurhama Kupwara and constable Suhail Ahmad of Logripora Aishmuqam, succumbed to injuries,” a police spokespers­on said.

TRF TAKES RESPONSIBI­LITY

The Resistance Front (TRF), a terror group that is controlled by top handlers of the Lashkare-Taiba (LeT), took responsibi­lity for the attack in a statement.

A police spokespers­on said: “Preliminar­y investigat­ion indicates involvemen­t of two terrorists in the attack. One of them has been identified as Saqib, a local, and another FT (foreign terrorist), affiliated with LeT. Police have launched a manhunt to nab them.”

Politicos flay attack

Politician­s from across party lines condemned the attack.

“What makes this attack even more reprehensi­ble is that SgCT Mohammad Yousuf of Zurhama and Ct Suhail Ahmad of Logripora were unarmed & shot in the back. Senseless & cowardly at the same time,” said former J&K chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah.

People’s Democratic Party president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the attack, saying the “cycle of violence only begets misery”. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Altaf Thakur termed the attack an act of cowardice. “There is no place for such cowardly acts and the attackers must be brought to book,” he said.

 ??  ?? Tributes being paid to the police personnel killed in a terrorist attack in Srinagar on Friday.
WASEEM ANDRABI /HT
Tributes being paid to the police personnel killed in a terrorist attack in Srinagar on Friday. WASEEM ANDRABI /HT

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