Police officer among 4 others injured; Injured civilian critical; Militants targeted police party enforcing Covid lockdown; Lashkar behind strike, have identified attackers, says DGP Dilbagh Singh

Peerzada Waseem

(Asian News Hub) – MilitantsSaturday attacked a police party at main chowk of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district in which two policemen and two civilians were killed while a police officer among four others sustained bullet injuries.

Among two injured civilians, the condition of one is stated as critical. A police official told that militants targeted a police party at main chowk Sopore when they were enforcing carona curfew in the area. “The militants fired indiscriminately at the police party killing two policemen and two civilians. Two more cops and two civilians sustained injuries who are being treated in the hospital,” the officials said.

The injured, police official said, were first shifted to Sub-District Hospital Sopore wherefrom one policeman was shifted to SMHS hospital Srinagar for treatment. Hospitals sources at SDH Sopore told that two policeman and two civilians were brought to hospital in multiple bullet injuries after which they succumbed.

The slain policemen were identified as Constable Waseem Ahmed son of Muhamamd Saqiq Bhat of Narbal, Srinagar and constable Showkat Ahmed son of Abdul Gani, resident of Goripora, Beerwah Budgam. The dead civilians were identified as Bashir Ahmed Khan son of Ghulam Hassan of Mohalla Taliyan, Sopore and Showkat Ahmed Shalla son of Ghulam Qadir of Shalimar Colony Sopore.

Sources identified the injured Sub-Inspector as Mukesh Kumar and SPO Danish Ahmed. The injured civilian has been identified as Nayeem Ahmed Khan son of Muhammad Maqbool, a resident of Maharajpora, Sopore, who has been referred to SMHS hospital Srinagar where his condition is stated as critical. “He has received bullet injury in his thigh and abdomen,” hospital sources said. Police, however, said that four civilians sustained injuries of which two succumbed. The identity of second injured civilian couldn’t be ascertained.

A pall of gloom descended on Sopore, Srinagar and Beerwah localities when bodies of four—two cops and two civilians reached their respective homes. The bodies of two slain cops were first taken to District Police Lines (DPL) Srinagar where police paid rich tributes to them.

Director General of Police (J&K) Dilbagh Singh, who paid floral tributes to the slain cops at DPL Srinagar, said that Lashkar-e-Toiba militant outfit was behind the Sopore attack, in which two cops and two civilians were killed and three others were injured. Talking to the reporters on the sidelines of wrath laying ceremony of two cops here, Dilbag Singh, said that LeT outfit was involved in this attack and they have identified the attackers, however, further details will not be shared at the moment.

Singh said that to enforce Covid appropriate behaviour in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, a party from Sopore police station under the charge of sub-inspector Mukesh Kumar was deployed in the chowk when the attack took place.

He said that the firing was retaliated by the police party during which some personnel were injured and civilians who had set up their fruit and vegetables stalls nearby also got injured.

“Subsequently, two injured cops succumbed to their injuries, identified as constable Waseem and constable Showkat and sub-inspector Mukesh and SPO Danish got injured. Three civilians were also injured of whom two later succumbed while another one was referred to Srinagar hospital for treatment,” he said

He said they were looking into all the angles of the attack and forces have also launched a follow-up operation in the area and the perpetrators of the crime will be soon brought to justice.

Replying to a query, Singh said that militancy was declining and control of the forces in all the areas was very good while operations were also being carried out. “However, due to Covid-19 there has been a decline in anti-militancy operations but the forces still have an upper hand and we are launching operation in all the areas as well,” he said.

He said that under these circumstances these incidents happen and all those who are involved in these attacks will be not be spared at any cost.

KNO

(Asian News Hub) – An explosive material was recovered and defused at Chanapora area of Srinagar on Saturday afternoon, official sources said.

Official sources told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a major tragedy has been averted in Chanapora area of Srinagar where an explosive material was found by the Jammu and Kashmir police.

On finding it, the police immediately called the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDS) that defused it before any tragedy could take place, and later sanitized the area, they added—(KNO)

(Asian News Hub) – Sarjan Barkati, a famous religious preacher, who was arrested two days after delivering a speech on Eid-ul-Fitr was on Saturday released.

Family sources told that Barkati, who was arrested by Zainapora police around three weeks ago, was released today.

Meanwhile, an official said that Sarjan had delivered a speech on Eid day in his native village Reban for the first time after he was released last year.

A police official also confirmed that Barkati has been released.

Notably, Barkati was released in the last week of October last year after remaining in custody for over four years.

Barkati who had become the face of the 2016 agitation after the killing of Hizb commander Burhan Muzzafar Wani, was arrested on October 01, 2016.

KNO