Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 27: Security forces have launched a massive man hunt in North Kashmir against the militants responsible for the killing of four police men in Sopore last evening.
Sopore Police, Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police Pattan, 52 and 29 Rashtriya Rifles of counter insurgency Kilo Force cordoned off Hamray and Tapar Kalan villages in Pattan area of Baramulla district after they received information about presence of militants who killed 4 police men in Haigam in Sopore yesterday.
Sources said that a cordon around the villages was laid after the security forces received information about the presence of top Hizbul Mujahideen commander in the Hamray village. It may be mentioned here that the HM had claimed responsibility for the killing of 4 police men in Haigam area of Sopore in North Kashmir yesterday
The security forces cordoned off the two villages and conducted searches for the top HM commander but in the evening the operation was called off as they could not trace out the militant commander in these villages.
The 13 RR of Kilo Force conducted searches in several areas of Hajjan area in adjacent Bandipora district in forests around Wullar lake. However, no one was arrested.
Security forces also cordoned off Takibal in Krankshivan colony area of Sopore this afternoon. However, no one was arrested.
The Sarpanch of the village Haigam, Ghulam Mohammad Mir who was detained by police for questioning yesterday was reportedly let off today. Sources said that a released militant of the area was also detained for questioning as investigations into the militants behind the cop killings is going on.
It may be mentioned here that militants last evening in a major strike killed four policemen near Haigam in Sopore yesterday. The four policemen were on their way to Haigam to probe a complaint of robbery when they were ambushed by militants in a lane of the village.
Sources said that militants had appeared in the village soon after the Friday prayers and villagers had felt that there may be a militant strike in the village and most of them had fled.
Reports said that in the evening two militants appeared with a cow in the village and were in search of Sarpanch of the village. They wanted to sell the cow and asked the Sarpanch to follow them in a nearby orchard in the village. The Sarpanch was made to call police about the suspected thieves in the village. Reports said that Sarpanch had a close liaison with a police officer and that is the reason police arrived in the village within in no time after they were called by Sarpanch.
On reaching the village, police men went to Peer Mohalla Chowk of the village and militants present there fired at them from close range killing 4 of them and snatched 3 AK-47 Rifles from them. People fled from the village after the militant strike and 4 police men were left in a pool of blood. Later when police arrived they found all the cops dead.
In the meantime to sympathize with the families of the Police men who were killed yesterday, Senior Police and civil officers visited their families today. Special prayers were held at Jamia Masjid, district Police Lines Srinagar to pray for the souls of these police men. Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, Abdul Ghani Mir, DIG, Central Kashmir Range and SSP Srinagar attended the prayer meet.
DIG, Central Kashmir range, Srinagar, Syed Afad-ul- Mujtaba, Deputy commissioner, Ganderbal Sarmad Hafeez, Superintendent of Police Ganderbal, Shahid Mehraj visited the family of Head constable Abdul Rahim at Kockgund, Tulmullah, in Ganderbal district, and met his family members to express condolences.
The DIG Central Kashmir Range, along with SSP Srinagar, Ashiq Bukhari and SP North Tahir Saleem visited the house of constable Mudasir Ahmad Bhat at Shunglipora, Noorbagh, Srinagar to express sympathies with the bereaved family.
SP Sopore Mir Imtiyaz Hussain visited the families of two SPOs Gulshan Ahmad at Kansipora, Baramulla and Mudasir Ahmad Parray at Kreeri, Baramulla. He expressed sympathies with the family members and assured all help to them.
Follow our WhatsApp channel