Three policemen and three militants were killed in three separate incidents in the Kashmir Valley on Friday, as the police chalked out a summer strategy to secure tourism in J&K.
In an attack in Srinagar, a militant, who was caught on a camera, alighted in busy Baghat Barzulla and shot dead two policemen from a close range.
“He fired indiscriminately with an automatic weapon concealed inside his pheran [traditional Kashmiri dress] upon unarmed police personnel,” the police said.
They policemen were identified as senior constable Mohammad Yousuf and constable Suhail Ahmad.
“Preliminary investigation on the basis of CCTV footage indicates the involvement of two terrorists in the attack. One of them has been identified as Saqib, a local miltant, and another a foreign terrorist affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba,” the police said.
All the regional political parties have condemned the attack.
In Shopian’s Badigam
In an encounter in Shopian’s Badigam area, three militants, identified as Suhail Sheikh alias Azeem from Turkwangam; Shahid Ahmad Dar alias Furkan from Samboora Awantipora; and Muddasir Ahmad Wagay, son of Fayaz Ahmad Wagay, from Chak Sangren, were encircled on Thursday night and killed on Friday.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Vijay Kumar said they were affiliated to Al-Badr. “The operation that was suspended due to darkness on Thursday night resumed in the morning in Shopian. A joint party tactfully was able to evacuate the hostage. Announcements were made to the hiding terrorists to surrender but they fired indiscriminately. In retaliation, all the three hiding terrorists were eliminated.”
The police said arms and ammunition, including 2 AK rifles, 5 AK magazines, 96 AK rounds, 1 pistol, 1 pistol magazine, 5 pistol rounds and other incriminating materials were recovered from the encounter site.
Budgam operation
In central Kashmir, one policeman was killed and another injured during an anti-militancy operation in Budgam’s Beerwah area.
“During a search operation, hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the search party. Two policemen, Mohammad Altaf and senior constable Manzoor Ahmad, received gunshot injuries. However, Altaf died of his injuries,” Mr. Kumar said.
The police said the trapped militants took advantage of the darkness and escaped from the spot. “Two terrorists managed to escape in an injured condition from the spot. Efforts are on to track them,” Mr. Kumar stated.
3 dhaba attackers arrested
The three attackers who fired and injured an employee of the famous Krishna Dhaba have been arrested within two days of the attack. “The three newly-recruited militants carried out the attack on the owner of Krishna Dhaba at the busy Dalgate area to instil fear among tourists on a day when foreign envoys were in Srinagar,” the IGP said.
The police acted swiftly. “The bike and a pistol used for the offence were seized. Two arrested youth hail from Pampore and third one is from Pulwama,” Mr. Kumar observed.
The three were lured by Lashkar-e-Taiba or The Resistance Front commander Gazi. “Gazi tasked them to strike at Krishna Dhaba, where the tourist rush is always high and it remains open even during hartals,” he added.
The spurt in violence in the Valley comes in the wake of the police’s efforts to chalk out a summer strategy “to ensure peaceful tourism season”.
