Kashmir cops

“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 tragic news of his killing,” he said.

Hizbul Mujahedeen operational commander Riyaz Naikoo has issued several “warnings” for local policemen, especially SPOS, to resign from the force, saying the government was “using” them.

Shortly after the killings, reports emerged of several policemen uploading videos on social media saying that they had resigned. The home ministry, however, said the reports were untrue. “These reports are based on false propaganda by mischievous elements,” according to a home ministry statement in New Delhi.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti called the killings shocking.

“Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock & condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims,” she said, blaming the Union government’s “muscular policy” in the region.

The Congress, too, attacked the government over its “mishandling” of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi silent over the killing and abductions of security personnel and civilians in Kashmir as well as repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan? This is resulting in paranoia among the security forces,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.

Singhvi accused the Modi government of using Jammu and Kashmir as a “laboratory experiment” and claimed that there were apprehensions of terrorism making a comeback to the mainstream.

Friday’s deaths also come close on the heels of tit-for-tat abductions that forced police to release the father of the Hizbul commander. On August 30, militants abducted relatives of 11 police personnel soon after police detained Naikoo’s father and relatives of another militant.