Seven killed in Hizbul attack on cash van

BANK OFFICIALS DENIED REPORTS THAT THE MILITANTS LOOTED ₹50 LAKH FROM THE VAN

Militants killed five policemen and two bank guards in an attack on a cash van in Phambai area of Kulgam in South Kashmir on Monday while students’ protests raged across the valley and two soldiers lost their lives on the Line of Control in the Krishna Ghati sector.

The van was returning after dispensing cash to local bank branches when it was attacked. Bank officials denied reports that the militants looted ₹50 lakh from the van. The five Jammu and Kashmir policemen and the two guards killed in the attack were locals. The policemen were identified as assistant sub inspector Mohd. Yousaf, Farooq Ahmad, Ishfaq Ahmad, Mohammad Qasim and Muzaffar Ahmad.

The two security guards killed were Javeed Reshi and Muzaffar Ahmed Laway.

Militant outfit Hizbul Mujhadeen claimed responsibility for the attack. However, a spokesperson told local news agency CNS that the victims were shot dead by securitymen.

“We didn’t attack the vehicle with intent to loot the cash. We have enough cash. We condemn the killing of the bank employees and want to clarify that they were shot dead by the securitymen,” Hizbul spokesperson Burhanuddin said.

In the southern district of Pulwama, scores of school and college students hit streets on Monday against the arrest of some of their colleagues during earlier protests.

Police in Pulwama said students gathered outside the police station in the town and raised slogans. Locals said that the police used tear gas shells to disperse the protesters who then resorted to stone pelting. “Students came out of a higher secondary and then they went to Degree College Pulwama and later they started throwing stones at the police station but no one was injured,” said SP Rayees Mohammad Bhat.