Trapped By Hoax Call Over Theft In Village
SRINAGAR: Four policemen were killed in a deadly militant attack in the Hygam area on the outskirts of Sopore town on Friday.
Unconfirmed reports said that the attackers had decamped with the weapons of the slain policemen.
The strike came a week after government forces arrested a Lashkar-e-Tayyaba commander in Sopore and killed a local militant.
The police described the attack as an ambush, and said that the policemen had been trapped by a telephone call about a purported theft in Hygam.
The police party from Churu, Sopore, was on its way to the area in a Rakshak vehicle when militants sitting in ambush struck near Peer Mohalla at around 5.25 in the afternoon.
The attackers opened heavy fire on the vehicle from several directions. The attack was so sudden and powerful that the occupants got no time to retaliate, locals said.
All the policemen aboard the Rakshak were killed on the spot.
The slain were identified as constables Abd-ur-Rahim (of Tulla Mulla, Gandarbal) and Muddassir Ahmad (of Noor Bagh, Srinagar), and special police officers (SPOs) Gulshan Ahmad (of Kanispora, Baramulla) and Muddassir Ahmad Parray (of Kreeri, Baramulla).
One report said that the militants had decamped with the service rifles of the slain policemen, but authorities did not confirm the fact.
Police and forces personnel were sometime in reaching the scene of the attack as it was several kilometres away from the nearest police posts.
Hundreds of uniformed personnel and officers arriving later retrieved the blood-soaked bodies from the bullet-riddled vehicle.
A vast area in the vicinity was taken under cordon to conduct search operations.
No arrests had been made when reports last came in, and the police had not succeeded in obtaining any clues.
The site of the attack is located near vast wet-lands, with a number of nurseries close by.
No militant organisation has claimed responsibility for carrying out the killings.
Omar condemns killings
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has condemned the killing of four J&K police personnel describing it an act of cowardice.
In a condolence message to the bereaved families and the police department, Chief Minister has expressed its solidarity with the families and the police force. He said that police jawans sacrifice their lives for the protection and safety of the people and exhibit highest degree of bravery.
The Chief Minister conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved families and prayed for peace to the departed soul.
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