Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Feb 25: Militants today fired at and killed two cops guarding famous Sufi shrine at Chrar-e-Sharief and a senior Hurriyat Conference leader in the Central Kashmir.
The policeman Kultar Singh was fired from point blank range by two militants at the main entrance of shrine at Charar-e-Sha-rief this afternoon. The militants fled away along with his SLR service rifle. Click here to watch video
Some youth immediately came to his rescue and he was boarded in to a police vehicle and shifted to Nagam Ho-spital where from he was taken to 92-Base hospital here in Bada-mibagh Canto-nment in Srinagar.
Soon after the incident, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a hunt to nab the militants responsible for the killing. However, no one was arrested so far.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, SP Pani said that the cop was at a guard post. “Due to Sunday, many people were there. Someone opened a pistol fire at a very close range. He got injured and till any assistance could reach the spot, the attacker took away his rifle and fled from the spot”, he said.
Pani said that operation has been launched and police has got vital leads of the militants responsible for the killing. “Two terrorists had fled away but we are looking into it. The area was cordoned off immediately. We have got some leads and we are working on them. Kultar Singh was working as a selection gr-ade constable in the armed wing of Jammu and Kashmir Police”, he said.
This evening, militants fired and killed a cop who was guarding the residence of a senior Hurriyat Conference (M) leader at Soura area of Srinagar and decamped with his service rifle.
A senior police officer said that the militants attacked the police guard, Farooq Ahmad Yatoo of Chadoora Budgam, at residence of Hurriyat leader Fazal Haq Qureshi at Bilal Colony Soura in Srinagar here. He was shifted in critical condition to nearby SKIMS hospital in Soura where he succumbed to injuries. Mili-tants also de-camped with the service rifle of the policeman.
In the meantime, a day after heavy shelling, there was a relative calm in Uri in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district today. However, over 1000 people of border villages of Balkote, Silikote, Tilwari, Churanga, Hathlanga and its neighboring villages who fled yesterday’s shelling are still in the camp set up by local administration in Uri.
The Army’s Brigade Commander, Brigadier YS Alawat today said that since February 19, Pakistan army has been continuously carrying ceasefire violations along the LoC in Uri sector. “Displaying extreme cowardice and unprofessionalism it has been targeting innocent villagers living along the border and has been indiscriminately using mortar shelling causing damage to the houses of the civilians”, he said.
“In a befitting reply, the Army has retaliated accurately and with heavy fire on the Pakistan army post which was involved in the ceasefire violations”, he said.
The Brigadier said that the Pakistan army targeted the border villages of Balkote, Silikote, Tilwari, churanga, Hathlanga and its neighboring villages. “The villagers have been evacuated to Government Higher Secondary School, Uri. As the first responder on the ground, the Army has swung into action and immediately provided much-required relief to the displaced villagers. Since the commencement of the hostilities, the Army has extended medical facilities to the injured villagers”, he added.
The Brigade Commander said that the local commanders on the ground are personally monitoring the safety of the people and extending all the assistance that is required on the ground. “So far the Army has provided food, medicine, and potable water. While interacting with the villagers they have requested more clothing and warm bedding owing to harsh winters. So immediately we have provided sleeping bags and the villagers have conveyed their appreciation for the timely assistance of the Army”, he said.
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