2 guards killed as terrorists attack J&K bank's cash van

SRINAGAR: Two private security guards of a J&K Bank cash van were killed and four others, including two bank officials, were injured when unidentified terrorists attacked the vehicle in Shopian district in south Kashmir on Monday afternoon.
Police officials said that the terrorists fired indiscriminately on the cash van of bank-a Scorpio car bearing registration number JK01M-4631, at Poju village in Keller around 3 PM when it was moving from Shadimarg area in Rajpora Tehsil to Keller in Shopian district.
The two slain guards hired by Perfect Placement - a private security firm - were identified as Mushtaq Ahmad, 30, of Khundroo, Anantnag and Tariq Ahmad, 25, of Tumlehall, Pulwama, they said, while the injured driver has been identified as Javaid Ahmad of Batpora Shopian.
The driver, another security guard and two bank officals, who received injuries after the van skidded off the road and turned turtle, are stable after treatment.
The injured guards were rushed to District Hospital Pulwama but "were declared brought dead", Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr Abdul Rasheed Para told The News Now, adding that they had bullets all over, even on their mobile phone.
SSP Shopian Shriram A Dinkar told The News Now that police has begun probe to identify the terrorists who attacked the van.
"We are working on the leads and identity of the terrorists involved in the attack will be revealed after probe is completed," Dinkar told The News Now.
DIG South Kashmir range SP Pani said no cash was looted after the attack as the same had already been deposited in the bank.
Security forces have launched a search operation to track down the assailants.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has condemned the killing of two security guards. In a statement, the Chief Minister described the incident as highly unfortunate in which the officials guarding the public money were killed.
J&K Bank Chairman Parvez Ahmad also condoled the killing of the guards and assured appropriate support to the berveaved families.
"It is very painful news and we at J&K Bank are shocked over the killings of security guards. I also wish speedy recovery to the three injured officials of the bank including security guard."
"Let me add here that these innocent guards were there only to protect the people's money and such gruesome incidents create hardships for the general public and hinder us from serving the people of these areas well," he said.
The Chairman assured the bereaved families of appropriate support from the bank. "Human life is invaluable and its loss can in no way be compensated. However, the affected families need to be sufficiently supported financially and emotionally as they have lost bread earners."
Pertinently, one of the slain guards, Tariq Ahmad, had purchased his own gun for Rs 80,000 recently as owning a gun helps private security guards get a better wage package.