Representative photo: PTI
SRINAGAR: A day ahead of Independence Day, Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorists shot dead two J&K policemen and wounded another in Nowgam area on the outskirts of Srinagar city on Friday morning.
The police party was on checkpost duty on Nowgam Bypass road when the terrorists came in a car through a narrow lane and fired indiscriminately at them, injuring the three cops. Two of them succumbed on the way to hospital, police said. The slain policemen have been identified as Ishfaq Ayoub, 24, and Fayaz Ahmad, 48, both from 20 Battalion, IRP. Ishfaq was supposed to solemnize his ring ceremony on Sunday.
J&K Police DGP Dilbagh Singh said preliminary investigations have revealed that JeM terrorists carried out the attack.
On the sidelines of the wreath-laying ceremony for the slain policemen at Budgam, the DGP told reporters, “Unfortunately, militants got a chance to attack when police were busy with the extension of deployment in Srinagar and city outskirts in view of the Independence Day.”
On whether there were any inputs about a possible terrorist attack, IGP-Kashmir Vijay Kumar said police get such inputs every year. “We have such inputs every year before August 15 and January 26. We had inputs that they will try (an attack) in some area. The boys were alert and prepared, but they (the militants) came from the rear side and fired on them.”
The IGP, who visited the site of the attack, added, “We have cordoned off the area and the searches are on… This is a narrow lane and there was civilian movement and if our boys would have retaliated, there would have been loss of civilians, so they exercised restraint.”
DGP Singh alleged such attacks are carried out whenever the situation in Kashmir shows improvement. “Our neighbour (Pakistan) can’t tolerate peace prevailing in the Valley and keeps trying to carry out acts like the one today, to disrupt a peaceful atmosphere,” he said.
The DGP said security across Kashmir, specially Srinagar, has been further strengthened after the attack. “We will use drones and CCTV-fitted vehicles, besides physical deployment of our men,” he said.
PDP condemned the attack, saying it will further aggravate the situation for Kashmiris. “Vehemently condemn the attack on @JmuKmrPolice personnel. Such attacks further aggravate the situation for Kashmiris already reeling under double disaster post August 5. We join the families of deceased in mourning their loss,” the party tweeted.
Late in the evening, a police spokesperson said that two JeM associates were arrested from Pulwama district and explosive material recovered from their possession. The two were nabbed by security forces from the district’s Tral area. They have been identified as Reyaz Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Amirabad Tral and Mohammad Umer Tantray, a resident of Aripal Tral, he said.
According to police records, the two were involved in providing shelter, logistics and other support to JeM terrorists besides transporting arms and ammunition to terrorists operating in Tral and Awantipora areas, he added. Incriminating material, including explosive material, has been recovered from their possession, the spokesperson said. A case has been registered and further investigation has been initiated, he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
