In Jammu & Kashmir, a policeman was killed and his rifle snatched away by unidentified terrorists who attacked the police station in South Kashmir's Shopian town early morning on Sunday.
Official sources said that burqa-clad militants attacked the police station at its entrance and fired indiscriminately upon the police personnel guarding the station. This triggered heavy brief shootout with one police jawan sustaining critical injuries. They said the injured jawan later succumbed to his fatal injuries.
Security officials said that after mounting attack, the terrorists took away the rifle of the injured cop.
A police spokesperson said that terrorists in the wee hours fired indiscriminately on Police Station Shopian. He said the attack was repulsed by the alert cops.
The spokesman said, “In this incident one policeman constable Saqib Mir also sustained injuries and was evacuated to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. However, the injured cop succumbed to his injuries.”
Police have registered a case and investigation has been initiated in the matter.
No terrorist outfit claimed responsibility for the attack.
A wreath-laying ceremony was held at District Police Lines Shopian where tributes were paid to the slain Policeman constable Saqib Mohi Din. He was a resident of village Zawoora of district Shopian.
A police spokesperson said that civil, CRPF and Police Officers led by Deputy Inspector General of Police south Kashmir laid floral wreaths on the mortal remains and paid rich tribute to the slain who made supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.
Official statistics revealed that 34 rifles and one pistol have been looted, snatched or taken away by the terrorists during attacks and also by SPOs and Policemen who deserted police force, in nine major incidents since March 29, 2015.
This includes Thursday’s Jawahar Nagar MLA residence incident wherein SPO deployed as Personal Security Officer with sitting PDP MLA Advocate Ajaz Mir, decamped with 07 AK 47 rifles and licensed pistol of legislator.
Meanwhile, State Election Commission has expressed satisfaction over the response shown by the contestants vis-Ã -vis filing nominations for the upcoming Urban Local Bodies (ULB) polls in J&K.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shaleen Kabra told media that substantial number of nominations have been filed across the State including Kashmir valley.
He said that for three wards of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation going to the election in the first phase on October 8, eight out of 11 nominations were found valid after scrutiny.
In the second phase 20 wards are going to polls in Srinagar and the number of nominations filed till date for this Phase is 88.
For the 3rd Phase in Srinagar, 85 nominations have been filed for 26 wards. The final figure of nominations will be announced after all the formalities are complete.
CEO said for Srinagar Municipal Corporation, there is hardly any ward which is going unopposed.
He said for the first phase nomination process has ended and the list of contesting candidates is being finalised while the process for second phase is on and will end with the list of contesting candidates being finalized on Monday.
CEO said that for the first phase, a total of 422 wards out of 1145 wards in the State are going to polls.
He said 1441 out of 1473 nominations were declared valid. He added that after some withdrawals 1283 contestants are now in the fray for these 422 wards in entire State.
In district Anantnag 66 nominations were filed out of which 58 were found valid after scrutiny. Baramulla has 40 while Bandipora has 48 nominations.
Pertinently, the polling for Municipal Polls-2018 in going to be held in four Phases starting from 8th October. Polling date for Phase-II is 10th October, for Phase-III, 13th October and for the final Phase on 16th October.