Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 3: Militants today shot dead two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and injured a cop in Pulwama town of South Kashmir and security forces launched massive search operations against the militants responsible for the attack.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir range, A G Mir, said that militants this afternoon attacked a police vehicle outside court complex Pulwama killing two SPOs, one driver and another follower. “They were carrying food for their colleagues and they were unarmed when militants attacked them”, said the IGP.
“We are investigating the incident. We are conducting searches and we will get them soon”, said Mir who immediately rushed to the spot to assess the situation.
When asked about the surge in the militancy related incidents in South Kashmir Mir said: “We have never said there is no militancy in South Kashmir, you have seen for the past two months operations are being conducted and we have achieved major successes.”
Sources said that militants fired at the police vehicle indiscriminately outside Court complex injuring critically two SPOs. They were removed to hospital where doctors declared them brought dead.
Militants fled from the scene after carrying out the attack and security forces immediately cordoned the area, however, no one was arrested.
Senior police officers including IGP Kashmir, A G Mir, and Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, immediately reached the spot to assess the situation.
A police spokesman identified them dead SPOs as Farooq Ahmad Mir son of Ghulam Hassan Mir resident of Vedpora Pulwama and Mukhtar Ahmad Wani son of Ghulam Hassan Wani resident of Syed Wari Qazigund, Kulgam.
A wreath laying ceremony was held at District Police Lines Pulwama. The spokesman said that SPO Farooq Ahmad Mir is survived by his aged mother and father, 2 brothers, sister, wife and a son while SPO Mukhtar Ahmad Wani is survived by his widow mother, brother, wife and an infant daughter of two months.
In the meantime, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack. A spokesman of the outfit told a local news agency that militants of Hizb carried out the attack and threatened more such attacks.
Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah condoled the killing of the SPOs. Condemning the act of militants, the Chief Minister lauded the bravery of the personnel and highlighted their sacrifice. In his condolence message to the Police Department and the bereaved families, the Chief Minister expressed his solidarity with them and prayed for peace to the departed souls. He also prayed for early recovery of the injured.
Army in the meantime busted a militant hideout and recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Srinagar based Army spokesman, Lt Col N N Joshi said here that on receipt of intelligence input, a joint operation of Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police was launched which resulted in busting of a hideout and recovery of the huge cache of arms and ammunition.
“There was intelligence input of a hideout with large quantity of war like stores. A Rashtriya Rifle unit located in Baramulla, along with persons of Jammu and Kashmir Police immediately launched an operation in general area Bodhnar. Despite bad weather, searches of the area were carried out during which a hideout was busted. In the hideout war like stores recovered are: one AK series Rifle along with two magazines and 58 rounds of ammunition, 18 UBGL grenades and administrative stores like snow blankets, pherans, mufflars, socks, balaclava, hand gloves, pathani suits, lighters and tarpaulin”, the spokesman said.
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