A junior police officer was among two personnel wounded in an attack by Hizbul Mujahideen militants in Bijbehara area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Thursday.
Sources said that militants fired automatic weapons on police vehicles parked in the vicinity of police station Bijbehara, a highway town 48 kilometers south of Srinagar in Anantnag district. The bullets hit Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Irshad Hussain Rather and a cop Tanvir Ahmad. Rather has reportedly received three bullets.
The police officer was overseeing security arrangements on eve of Eid-e-Milad when large processions are taken out in several towns of valley. Bijbehara is the hometown of Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.
Officials said that Rather and Ahmad were immediately shifted to Srinagar for treatment. While the cop is recuperating at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, SDPO Rather was shifted to Army’s Base Hospital for advanced treatment. His condition was reported critical but stable.
Massive manhunt was launched soon after the attack to nab the militants. The attack created panic in the area. Shopkeepers downed their shutters while transport disappeared from the roads.
Militant outfit Hizbul Mujhadeen claimed the responsibility of the attack. Spokesman of the outfit Burhanuddin told a local news gathering agency on phone that special squad of the outfit carried out the attack. “Both the policemen including the officer got seriously wounded in the attack. We warn all those policemen who aid and assist Indian Forces against militants to suppress the legitimate Freedom Movement in Kashmir to mend their ways, otherwise they will face such attacks in future,” he said adding Hizb’s “Operational Field Commander” has directed to intensify attacks on Indian security establishments.