SRINAGAR – Panic gripped the busy Lal Chowk area of Srinagar, and its neighbouring areas, on Saturday when two police men were shot dead at point blank in broad daylight. The suspected militants managed to flee with a service rifle of one of the cops. Police claimed the attack was carried out by Hizbul Mujhadeen.
The two policemen, from Shaheed Gung police station, were on duty near Amira Kadal when at around 12:20, they were fired at from close range. The pistol shots created panic in the area and people started running for safety. One policeman, in a fit of rage, fired in the air but was scolded by a senior police officer who ordered him to restrain himself.
The two policemen, head constable Mohammad Maqbool Mir (Belt no. 971/S) and selection grade Nazir Ahmad Hajam (Belt no. 1405/S) fell on the ground, blood oozing from their bodies. They were immediately rushed to hospital where they succumbed to their injuries.
A girl from Ganderbal, Ishrat d/o Ali Mohammad Magrey, was also injured in the attack and she was also shifted to hospital.
Talking to reporters, Inspector General of Police A.G.Mir said the initial investigation has revealed that Hizb militants carried out the attack. We have worked out such cases in the past and hopefully this one case will be cracked as well, said Mir.
Mir further said police had never claimed militancy had come down to zero level. Militancy still persists in the Valley We will hopefully crack this case and bring the culprits to book, he said.
According to a police handout, the head constable, Mohammed Maqbool is survived by aged parents, wife, three daughters and a son while Nazir Ahmad is survived by an aged mother, wife, a ten years old son and a seven years old daughter.
Later on, a wreath laying ceremony for the two cops was held at District Police Lines, Srinagar in which top officers of civil administration, police and security forces participated.
A local news agency, KNS, also claimed that Hizbul Mujahideen militants were behind the attack. According to KNS, a caller identifying himself as Baleeguddin, Spokesman of Hizbul Mujahideen, said guerrillas of the outfit carried out the attack on a police party.
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