SRINAGAR Four policemen were killed Tuesday when militants attacked a guard post outside a minority pocket in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, officials said.
The attack took place on Tuesday afternoon when four policemen were sitting in a pre-fabricated room outside the pocket that houses six Kashmiri pandit families.
A senior police official said that six militants were led by former Special Police Officer Adil Bashir, who deserted in October and decamped eight weapons from a PDP legislator.
Quoting eyewitnesses, the police officer said that militants fired indiscriminately, killing three policemen on the spot and critically injuring one.
The injured policeman was rushed to an Army hospital, where he also succumbed to injuries, the official said.
The deceased have been identified as Anees Ahmad, Hamidullah, Mehraj ud Din and Abdul Majeed.
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At the time of the incident, only one family was present at the minority pocket.
Immediately after the shootout, the militants fled with three Self Loading Rifles (SLRs) of the policemen, the official said, adding a cordon and search operation was launched to nab the attackers but they managed to flee.
Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) said its men carried out the fierce attack on government forces in south Kashmir’s Shopian, and snatched four rifles from them.
Meanwhile, former Chief ministersOmar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti besides governor Satya Pal Malik expressed grief over the loss of four policemen.
Governor Satya Pal Malik has expressed grief over the loss of lives of policemen. In a message, the Governor has prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls and conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families.
Omar Abdullah, National Conference Vice President, condemned the killing of policemen and said: We have lost three of our brave cops while delivering their duties. I pay my heartfelt tributes to the three policemen and pray for the speedy recovery of those who are injured.
Expressing his heartfelt condolence with the bereaved families, Omar said state has been at the receiving end with deaths, whether of a civilian, a policeman or a militant, becoming order of the day over the past three decades.
Omar while expressing concern said that a minority community which is putting up there should not feel apprehensive of their security.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also strongly condemn attack on policemen and tweeted: Bears repetition, violence achieves nothing but destruction. Solidarity with families of jawans .Relieved that no harm caused to any civilians in the minority pocket they guarded. Heartfelt condolences to the families of @JmuKmrPolice personnel who lost their lives in todays attack at Zianapora police post in District Shopian.
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