Srinagar: Two personnel of Armed Reserve Police (ARP) were killed and twelve others were injured on Monday in a brazen militant attack in high security Zewan area in Srinagar outskirts.
Around 6:00 pm Monday, militants believed to be two in number, opened fire upon a police bus carrying personnel of Armed Reserve Police (ARP) 9th battalion in Aripora locality of Zewan, a police official said. In the surprise militant attack, he said, fourteen police personnel, including an Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI), were injured.
All the injured, the police official said, were removed to the army’s Badami Bagh cantonment hospital for treatment. However, two of the cops succumbed to the grave gunshot injuries. They have been identified as Assistant Sub Inspector Ghulam Hassan of Ramban and Safique Ali of Mahore in Reasi.
The injured police constables have been identified as Sajad Ahmad, Rameez Ahmad, Bishamber Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Vikas Sharma, Abdul Majeed, Mudassir Ahmad, Ravi Kanth, Showkat Ali, Arshid Ahmad, Satveer Sharma and Aadil Ali.
According to reports, the police bus was on its way towards Pantha Chowk from the police complex in Zewan when the militants ambushed it.
According to the reports, the militant attack triggered panic in the high security zone and prompted the locals to rush indoors. The movement of traffic on Zewan-Pantha Chowk road was also affected for nearly an hour.
Today’s attack took place barely two days after two policemen were shot dead in North Kashmir.
Militants carried out a targeted strike in Bandipora town on Friday, December 10, evening, killing two policemen before escaping from the area.
The Bandipora attack took place barely days after a traffic policeman was shot and critically injured in a suspected militant attack in the Rajouri Kadal area of downtown Srinagar.
Meanwhile a police spokesman issued a statement late in the evening Monday and said that the preliminary investigation has revealed that three militants had fired indiscriminately upon a police vehicle carrying police personnel back to their campus after finishing their duties
“Although the fire was retaliated however taking advantage of darkness the terrorists managed to escape from the spot. In this terror incident 14 police personnel were injured and were shifted to hospital for treatment,” he said.
He said ASI and a selection grade constable succumbed to their injuries while the condition of other injured personnel is stated to be stable.
The police spokesperson also quoted IGP Kashmir as saying that credible sources have revealed that the attack was carried out by Kashmir Tigers, an offshoot of JeM.
“In the retaliatory firing, one of the terrorists got injured and the group involved in this gruesome terrorist attack will be soon brought to justice,” he said.
Police, the spokesperson said has registered a case in this regard under relevant sections of law and officers continue to work to establish the circumstances which lead to this “terror crime”
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and several mainstream leaders have condemned the attack.
PM Modi Seeks Details
A report from New delhi said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought details on a militant attack and expressed condolences to the families of the security personnel killed.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said, “PM Narendra Modi has sought details on the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also expressed condolences to the families of those security personnel who have been martyred in the attack.”
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