Militants kill 4 cops in J& K after Hizb man gunned down
Four policemen were killed in a militant attack in J& K’s southern Shopian town Wednesday afternoon. The sneak attack came hours after the security forces gunned down a top Hizb- ul- Mujahideen commander, Altaf Ahmed Dar alias Altaf Kachroo alias Moin, and his accomplice Umar Rashid Wani in a gunfight in the neighbouring district of Anantnag.
The police and witnesses said the militants targeted the escort vehicle of Shopian’s deputy superintendent of police ( headquarters) with AK47 assault rifles in Arahom area, apparently in reprisal for the killing of the Hizb commander.
An official said four policemen in the vehicle were rushed to the district hospital, where three of them were declared brought dead. The fourth policeman succumbed to his injuries soon afterwards, hospital sources said. The slain policemen were identified as constables Ishfaq Ahmed Mir, Javaid Ahmad Bhat and Mohammad Iqbal Mir and SPO Adil Manzoor Bhat. A wreath- laying ceremony was held at the Shopian district police lines Wednesday evening, where senior officers paid tribute to the slain policemen.
Four policemen were killed in a militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s southern Shopian town on Wednesday afternoon.
The sneak attack was carried out hours after the security forces had gunned down a top commander of Hizb- ulMujahideen Altaf Ahmed Dar alias Altaf Kachroo alias Moin and his accomplice Umar Rashid Wani during a gunfight in neighbouring Anantnag district.
The police and witnesses said that the militants targeted the escort vehicle of deputy superintendent of Police ( headquarters), Shopian with their AK 47 assault rifles in Shopian’s Arahom area apparently in reprisal to the killing of the Hizb commander.
The official said that four policemen on board the vehicle were injured in the attack. They were immediately rushed to the district hospital where three of them were declared brought dead. The fourth policeman succumbed to his injuries soon thereafter, the hospital sources said. The slain policemen have been identified as Constables Ishfaq Ahmed Mir, Javaid Ahmad Bhat, Mohammad Iqbal Mir and SPO Adil Manzoor Bhat. In the evening, a wreathlaying ceremony was held in the Shopian district police lines at which senior police officers including DGP Shesh Paul Vaid paid tributes to the slain policemen.
A report said that the assailants decamped with the service weapons of the policemen and then disappeared in the neighbourhood. The police sources said that the escort party had gone to the area to get a police vehicle repaired at a local motor workshop.
A massive search operation was immediately launched by the security forces in the area to catch the assailants dead or alive, the sources said. Jaish- e- Muhammad claimed responsibility for the attack and said its cadres along with those of the Hizb killed the policemen. Some police officials said it could be an ‘ act of vengeance’ as it came hours after the security forces had killed two Hizb militants during a gunfight in Muniward village of Khanabal area in neighbouring Anantnag. However, DGP Mr. Vaid said, “It would be too early to say that.” The killing of militant duo sparked off massive protests in parts of south Kashmir during which the security forces burst teargas canisters and fired pellet shotguns to quell stone- pelting mobs, reports said.
Scores of protesters and security forces personnel were injured in these clashes at several places in Anantnag and Kulgam districts. The worst incidents were reported from Qoimoh area of Kulgam where, the hospital sources said, as many as 73 people were injured including five of them receiving pellet injuries. In view of growing tensions and street protests, the authorities suspended train services between Baramulla in north- western Valley and Banihal town across the Pirpanjal range in Jammu region and withdrew internet facilities in south Kashmir.