A junior police officer of counter insurgency wing of Jammu & Kashmir police and a terrorist belonging to Al-qaeda affiliate Ansar Gazwatul Hind were killed and a Special Police Officer injured when terrorists traveling in a private car opened fire on a police party at Zakoora in the outskirts of Srinagar on Srinagar-leh highway late on Friday afternoon.
Imran Hussain Tak, a sub-inspector rank officer, was killed in the shootout while the militant identified as Mughis ahmad Mir had fled the encounter site with a bullet wound and later succumbed at an unknown location.
A resident of Udhampur in Jammu, Tak was 31-year-old counterinsurgency cop.
Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Munir Khan said the police party had gone for an operation.
“The police party was not attacked. They had gone for an operation that led to shootout in which Sub Inspector and an SPO were injured. The Sub Inspector was taken to hospital and unfortunately he succumbed to his injuries,” Khan said. The IGP blamed lashkar-e-Toiba militant group for the attack.
Sources said that police has laid a checking point in the area following input that militants were on move in the vicinity.
“As a Santro car with Srinagar registration number reached the check post, the militants believed to be two in number fired indiscriminately from inside the car wounding two police men including a sub inspector. The militants fled from the spot and left behind the car,” sources said. “One suspected militant who was inside the car was arrested by police.”
Soon after the incident, police and CRPF launched a massive hunt to trace the militants involved in the attack. Meanwhile, a wreath laying ceremony was held in Srinagar to pay floral tributes to slain police officer. Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh expressed grief over the killing of Sub Inspector Imran Tak.
While condemning the killing of police officer, the Deputy Chief Minister said the sacrifices rendered by valiant police officers would be remembered forever and the perpetrators of the violence would be dealt with sternly.
Deputy Chief Minister while expressing sympathies with the bereaved family prayed for peace to the departed soul.
Meanwhile, an hour after the shootout, a militant’s body who hailed from Parimpora area of Srinagar was found in the vicinity of the shootout site. Before his death, the militant had reportedly spoken to his family on phone, apparently telling them that his time was over.
A senior police officer said the slain militant was active for several years. He sustained bullet injuires in Zakura shootout but managed to escape from the spot. “We have reports that he had made a call to his family. His body has reached his home and we have started further investigation,” a local news agency quoting police officer said.
The officer said that Mugees was presently affiliated with Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind led by Zakir Musa. Musa, earlier this year closed ranks with his parent outfit Hizbul Mujahideen and floated his own group, an affiliate of al-Qaeda. Shortly after Mir’s body reached his locality, massive protests erupted in the area.
The district administration announced restrictions in eight police station jurisdiction in capital Srinagar besides announcing closure of schools and colleges.