M A I N   N E W S

Militants ambush police patrol in Valley; 6 injured
Majid Jahangir
Tribune News Service

Second strike in 24 hrs A police team was on a routine patrol in Shopian district when it came under attack by two militants armed with assault rifles The attack took place in the busy market area and created panic This is the second attack on a police party in the Valley in less than 24 hours. On Friday, militants attacked policemen guarding a local shrine in central Kashmir’s Budgam district and decamped with their service rifles

Srinagar, June 7
Six persons, including four policemen were injured, when unidentified militants ambushed a police patrol in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday.

Sources said the police team came under attack in the Bonpara area. “Militants, believed to be two in number and armed with assault rifles, opened indiscriminate fire on a police vehicle,” said a police official. “Four cops and two civilians, including a shopkeeper, were injured in the firing,” he said. The militants managed to escape after the attack. Eyewitnesses said the police team was about to alight from its vehicle at Bongam Chowk when it was attacked. The firing created panic in the busy market area as people ran for cover.

Immediately after the attack, the police and the Army cordoned off the entire area. The injured policemen were identified as Shabir Ahmad, a Special Police Officer, Zahoor Ahmad, Vikas Kumar and Mehraj Ahmad. The two civilians were identified as Mohammad Amin Zargar and Basher Ahmad Hajam, residents of Shopian. The condition of one of the cops is stated to be critical, said sources. A police spokesman said three cops received bullet injuries in their legs and were shifted to Bone and Joint Hospital, Srinagar. Another policeman, who was hit in the abdomen, was shifted to SMHS Hospital, Srinagar. This is the second attack on a police party by militants in the Valley in less than 24 hours. On Friday, they attacked policemen guarding a shrine in Budgam district.

(With inputs from Farooz Ahmad Bhat in Pulwama)