Four policemen guarding a minority habitation were killed in an attack by Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorists in Zainapora village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Tuesday. The terrorists snatched rifles of the slain cops before fleeing from the site of the attack.
Official sources said that an unknown number of militants attacked a police picket in Zainapora village, around 50 kilometres from here. They opened indiscriminate firing on policemen, killing three of them on the spot and leaving another in a pool of blood. The injured policeman was shifted to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit claimed responsibility for the attack. Hours after the attack, a picture purportedly circulated by the outfit through social media sites went viral showing the four snatching assault rifles.
The cops were guarding a cluster of homes where members of minority community are living.
Zainpora, that is part of Shopian district, is a tehsil headquarter.
The slain cops have been identified as Anees Ahmad, Abdul Majid, Merajuddin and Hamidullah.
“The area was cordoned off and a search operation has been started,” a police spokesman said.
“Civil & Police Officers including Additional Director General (Law and Order) Munir Ahmed Khanand Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Soyam Prakash Pani laid floral wreaths on the mortal remains and paid rich tributes to the martyrs who made supreme sacrifice in the line of duty,” spokesman said adding the wreath laying ceremony was held at Zainapora village.
Zainapora is the native village of former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Ajaz Mir whose Special Police Officer (SPO) Aadil Bashir Sheikh looted 7 rifles from his Jawahirnagar residence on September 29. A week later Sheikh circulated his pictures with local Hizbul Mujahideen commander Zeenatul Islam brandishing these rifles. Islam has reportedly joined Al Badr outfit.
Governor Satya Pal Malik expressed grief over the loss of lives of policemen. In a message Governor has prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls and conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack. “We have lost three of our brave cops while delivering their duties. I pay my heartfelt tributes to the policemen,” he said.
Expressing his heartfelt condolence with the bereaved families, the NC vice president said the 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.
Meanwhile, a civilian who was abducted by suspected militants in Kulgam district of south Kashmir 46 days ago was killed by his captors. Sheeraz Ahmad Bhat was abducted on October 27, a few days after three militants hiding in his house were killed by security forces in an encounter in Larnoo village. Seven civilians were killed on the encounter sites on the same day when they went closer to the damaged house where explosives went off.