Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, June 4: Militants today attacked a police party in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district killing two police men including an officer.
The attack comes a day after three BSF men were killed when militants attacked a BSF convoy in the adjacent town of Bijbehara.
Police said that at around 11:20 am, at least three militants, armed with automatic rifles, appeared near General Bus Stand Anantnag and shot at two cops including an Assistant Sub Inspector. Both the injured cops were rushed to District Hospital Anantnag but were declared as brought dead by the doctors.
The slain cops were identified as Assistant Sub Inspector Bashir Ahmad Ahanger and constable Reyaz Ahmad Sheikh. Soon after the attack, huge contingents of police, SOG, Army and CRPF rushed to the spot and cordoned off the entire area.
The troops launched massive search operation in Anantnag and its adjoining areas but no one was arrested or detained.
Director General of Police, K Rajendra, rushed to Anantnag to assess the situation. He was monitoring the operations.
Today’s attack came a day after militants’ ambushed BSF bus in neighbouring Bijbehera town, leaving three personnel dead and seven injured.
The back to back attacks have come at a time when Anantnag is scheduled to go for by-poll on June 22 with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti seeking election from here.
Shortly after the attack, a photograph appeared in social networking sites showing two militants armed with AK-47 rifles soon after they carried out the attack. The pictures were taken from a mobile phone.
To pay homage to the slain cops, a wreath laying ceremony was held at District Police Lines Anantnag. “Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar led the officers and jawans in the wreath laying ceremony which was attended among others by Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, S.J.M Gillani, Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir Range Nitish Kumar, SSP Anantnag Abdul Jabbar, SSP Kulgam Mohammad Irshad, SP Awantipora Sridhar Patil and hundreds of the civilians,” a police spokesman said.
He said ASI Bashir Ahmad is survived by his wife and 11 years old son while as constable Reyaz Ahmad Sheikh is survived by 30 years old wife, 11 years old son, two 2 daughters and aged parents, and an unmarried sister.
Expressing anguish over the killing of two policemen in Anantnag, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti strongly condemned the latest dastardly acts of bloodshed by the militants.
Expressing anguish over the senseless violence perpetrated by the enemies of peace, the Chief Minister said the recent attacks once again showed the desperate levels to which the militants can go to disrupt peace and normalcy in the State. “Violence is a zero sum game which does not solve any problem but gives rise to more complexities,” she said in a statement and added that only the weak resort to killings.
“The security forces personnel and the policemen, who are performing difficult duties not out of choice but to earn bread and butter for their families, are losing their precious lives in such dastardly attacks,” Mehbooba said and added one fails to understand why unsuspecting cops should fall prey to this senseless violence. She also praised the security forces and the police for exercising restraint to ensure that the innocent civilians don’t fall victim to any retaliatory action.
Mehbooba said the perpetrators of bloodbath must realize that it is not through the gun and grenade that political problems are resolved. “Dialogue and reconciliation are the only options for making headway in finding a solution,” she said and added that hundreds of civilians, security forces personnel, policemen and militants have been killed in the State over the past more than two decades of turmoil leaving behind a trail of tragedies for the victim families.
“My heartfelt condolences to the families of Assistant Sub-Inspector, Bashir Ahmad and a constable, Reyaz Ahmad, killed in Anantnag today,” she said and added these dastardly acts depict the desperation on part of militant groups and nothing else as they are only adding to miseries of Kashmiris.
The Chief Minister said such killings cannot deter the resolve of the Government in moving ahead to bring peace and normalcy to the State and end the miseries of its people.
Earlier, Mehbooba Mufti today visited the Frontier Headquarters of the BSF at Humhama here where she laid wreath on the mortal remains of the three BSF personnel killed in a gruesome militant attack near Bijbehara on Friday.
The Chief Minister expressed solidarity with Director General BSF, K K Sharma who was present there. She expressed solidarity with the families of the deceased BSF personnel and prayed for peace to the departed souls.
Recalling the sacrifices of the security forces in combating militancy in the State, Mehbooba said such dastardly acts of senseless violence are against the basic tenets of humanity and they should be condemned by one and all.
“My heart goes out to the families of the slain BSF personnel and I hope that the perpetrators will be taken to task soon,” she said.
Meanwhile Governor N N Vohra has expressed grief over the loss of ASI Bashir Ahmad and constable Riyaz Ahmad in a militant strike on a Police party at the General Bus Stand Anantnag this morning. The Governor recalled the loyalty and devotion of ASI Bashir Ahmad, who had served in the Raj Bhavan Security till his recent promotion and transfer.
In a condolence message the Governor has conveyed his sympathies to the members of the bereaved families and prayed for peace to the departed souls.
Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh, has condemned the Anantnag attack. While condemning the attack, he said these types of incidents are manifestation of the frustration of the elements who are trying hard to disturb the peaceful environs of the state. He said “we should all collectively work to defeat the forces who are trying to derail the development process and trying hard to push the State into a morass.”
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