Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Jan 6: Four cops including an officer were killed today in a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Sopore town of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district amid shutdown.
At around 10:05 am, the IED planted by militants went off near Haaritar area of Sopore resulting in injuries to four policemen. All the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment where all of them succumbed to injuries.
The deceased have been identified as of IRP 3rd Bn and were identified as ASI Irshad Ahmad , 58, of Doda, Constable Ghulam Nabi of Rohama Rafiaabad, Constable Parvaiz Ahmad of Vilgam Handwara and Constable Mohammad Amin of Sogam Kupwara.
A Police spokesman said that an IED blast took place at Sopore market planted by militants, resulting in death of four police personnel of IRP 3rd battalion. The spokesman said ASI Irshad Ahmad is survived by aged mother about 72 years old, wife, two sons Nadeem Irshad about 19 years old, Sahil Irshad about 10 years old, two daughters Fiza Irshad about 16 years old, and Toiba Bano about 13 years old.
Constable Mohammad Amin is survived by aged mother, wife, minor son Tajam-ul-Islam about 4 years old, a brother and three sisters. Constable Parvaiz Ahmad is survived by aged father, wife, minor son Mohammad Noman about 3 years old, unmarried sister and three brothers. Constable Ghulam Nabi is survived by aged parents, pregnant wife, minor daughter Faheeqa Nabi about 4 years old, two brothers and two unmarried sisters.
The high intensity blast damaged several shops besides causing damage to windowpanes of many residential houses in the area.
Soon after the attack, Army, paramilitary forces and Special Operations Group (SOG) launched a massive hunt to nab the militants responsible for the attack. However, no one was arrested.
The blast took place amid shutdown in the town to mark the 25th anniversary of killings of 57 people in Sopore that took place same day in 1993.
The shutdown was called by the separatist Hurriyat Conference. Shops and business establishments remained closed while traffic remained off the roads in the town.
The authorities had deployed additional police and paramilitary CRPF men in the town to thwart any protests.
To pay homage to the police personnel, who were killed in an IED blast, a wreath laying ceremony was held at District Police Lines, Sopore this afternoon.
Additional Director General of Police Munir Ahmad Khan led police officers and jawans in laying floral wreaths on the mortal remains of the killed police men.
Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility for the blast. In a statement issued to news agency JeM spokesperson claimed the attack.
Former Chief Minister and working president National Conference Omar Abdullah condemned the killing of policemen. “Very sad news from # Sopore. May the four brave J&K Police personnel killed in the line of duty today rest in peace”, Omar wrote on twitter.
Meanwhile, asserting that Sopore Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast was the first such attack after a gap of more than two years in the Valley, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir range, Muneer Khan said security agencies will devise a way to tackle this situation.
“It is for the first time that IED blast took place in Kashmir valley since 2015. The militants had stopped using IEDs since 2015 because of the civilian casualties. But they have once again started to use IEDs,” Khan told reporters at Sopore in North Kashmir.
He said the security agencies will sit and devise a way to tackle the situation. “We will sit together, put our heads together and devise a way to tackle this situation,” the IGP Kashmir said.
Asked about militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has claimed responsibility for IED blast at Sopore, he said, “We will have to verify the claim.”
“Just because they claimed responsibility don’t mean that they did it. We will have to verify their claim and look at other aspects as well,” he added.
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