Policemen, civilians among 4 killed in Valley terrorist attack
3 others, including a policeman, injured as terrorists fire upon a joint party of CRPF and police in Sopore
SRINAGAR: Two policemen and as many civilians were killed and at least three others injured on Saturday when militants opened fire targeting security forces in Sopore town of Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
Militants fired upon a joint party of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police near Main Chowk Sopore in north Kashmir district around noon, they said.
The officials said in the firing, two police personnel and two civilians were killed. At least three others, including a policeman, were injured in the attack, they said.
The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital from where the injured policeman was taken to the Army’s 92 Base Hospital here, the officials added.
Meanwhile, the area has been cordoned off to nab the militants, sources said.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir described the attack as a cowardly and mindless act.
“Strongly condemn the terror attack on civilians and security personnel at Sopore, Baramulla. My sincere condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in this attack. Praying for the early recovery of injured,” Sinha said on Twitter.
He said the perpetrators of the violence are the enemies of humanity and such a despicable and cowardly act will not go unpunished.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah said such attacks must be condemned without reservation.
“Terrible news coming in from Sopore. Such attacks must be condemned without reservation. Prayers for the injured and condolences to the families of the deceased,” he said in a tweet. Condemning the attack, the NC said the government must ensure a stop to such incidents.
“JKNC unequivocally condemns the killing of two cops and a civilian in Sopore today and prays that the bereaved families find enough strength to bear the irreparable loss,” it said. “The government must ensure a stop to such brutal loss of lives” the NC said on its official Twitter handle. The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) said that “our souls have been scarred for decades now by such wanton acts of violence”.
“Mutilated bodies, ravaged homes and murder of dreams-that’s the trail attacks like these leave behind,” the party said on
Twitter. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) described that attack as “cowardice and mindless”.
In a statement, the party also expressed anguish over the loss of lives and expressed solidarity with the bereaved families of the slain policemen and civilians.
The JKPCC said the attack is a mindless and shameful act committed by the militants.
The party expressed grave concern over “regular” militant attacks on policemen and other security forces and blamed the government for “failing to contain the situation”.
Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Jammu and Kashmir spokesperson Altaf Thakur while condemning the attack, said terror has no place in Kashmir and the killing of innocents is a barbaric and cowardly act.
In a statement, Thakur said the act reflects frustration on part of militants who have now started targeting civilians in busy markets.
He urged the police to probe the incident and punish the attackers as per the law.
Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference (JKPC) chief Sajad Lone said gun enslaves the very people that it purports to fight for. “When will this madness end. Gun came to Kashmir in 1989. 32 years down the line. I can unambiguously state. That gun enslaves the very people that it purports to fight for. The gunmen really need to ponder whose war they are fighting,” he said in a tweet.