Adil Lateef
Srinagar, Oct 25: A policeman was shot at by militants in Shopian district of South Kashmir this evening.
Militants fired upon the cop Ashiq Hussain of Yader Pulwama this evening leaving him injured at Arham in Shopian. He was immediately hospitalized.
Ashiq, PSO of National Conference leader Shabir Kullay was at petrol pump to refill his vehicle when the incident occurred.
Click here to watch video
Soon after the incident, security forces launched a hunt to nab the assailants.
Meanwhile, security forces today conducted series of search operations in Shopian, Pulwama and Anantnag districts of South Kashmir after sharp increase in militant attacks since past one week.
The searches were extensively conducted in at least 20 villages of Shopian district where several violent incidents occurred in past days during which two civilians including a political worker were shot dead by militants. Sources said police, Army’s 44, 62, 01 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and 14th Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) cordoned off these villages during pre-dawn hours and started searches.
The villages that were cordoned off include Sugan, Heff, Shirmaal, Nagbal, Barbugh, Chitragaam, Turkawangam, Maldeera, Kashew, Kadgam and Nullayposhwari. The security forces conducted searches for residential house and orchards. This time, unlike past, there was no stone-pelting from local residents on security personnel involved in the search operation as the siege was strict, sources said.
“As you know militants targeted several civilians, political workers and Government servants in South Kashmir since past week and there are reports with Army about huge presence of militants in this area. So, CRPF, police and Army launched a search operation in around 20 villages,” said Brigadier Harbeer Singh of 12 Sector Rashtriya Rifles. After conducting searches for nearly 10 hours, the operation was called off at 2 pm in the afternoon as no contact was established with the militants.
The security forces also launched cordon and search operations in Chandgam village of neighbouring Pulwama district. The operation was conducted after security forces received inputs about the presence of two Hizbul Mujahideen militants. However, as the searches were underway, the local residents took to streets and pelted stones on security forces. Police fired teargas and used pellet shots guns to disperse the protesters. The operation was called off this evening without any contact with militants.
In Bellow village of Pulwama district, Army had to open aerial gunshots after some youths pelted on soldiers. There were minor clashes in the village but later situation normalized. Meanwhile, the security forces including Army and police’s Special Operation Group (SOG) launched a cordon and search operation in Lisser village of Kokernag Anantnag district as it suspected presence of some militants. However, no militant was found in the village and the operation was called off.
In the meanwhile, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Kashmir Range, SP Pani today said they have got many leads about recent “sensational” incidents that occurred in Tral area of Pulwama district. The DIG told reporters that with the arrest of one Hizbul Mujahideen militant Arizoo Bashir yesterday in a joint operation, there has been various revelations.
“We have come to know lots of things with this arrest and most importantly, we have come to know about the involvement (of persons) in recent two-three sensational incidents in Tral. We also have come to know about Arizoo’s involvement (in many cases) and the investigation is on…we have got some leads with this arrest and all the cases have been detected,” he said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel