Sanctity of holy Shab-e-Qadir violated again; two cops killed, 12 injured in 3 terror attacks

SRINAGAR: For second consecutive year, the sanctity of the holiest Islamic night of Shab-i-Qadr was violated in Kashmir as terrorists struck thrice within few hours, killing two police personnel, while injuring 12 security men, including 10 CRPF jawans. The terrorists also took away two weapons of police personnel before escaping from site of one of the incident under the cover of darkness.

This year’s Shab was dreadfully similar to last year’s when a Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy SP) Mohammad Ayub Pandith was lynched by a violent mob near historic Jamia Masjid when he was on duty in civic.

When the entire Kashmir was busy in special prayers on the occasion of Shab-i-Qadr across the valley, a group of terrorists attacked police personnel, guarding New Court Complex at Takiya Wagam opposite to Government Degree College Pulwama near Barpora Kareemabad.

The attack which occurred around 3:30 am witnessed two Selection Grade Constables (SgCts) getting killed while one of their colleague received bullet injuries.

A police spokesman, however, said the attack was retaliated by the cops.

“At the strike of pre-dawn on Tuesday, terrorists fired upon the guard post deployed at court complex in District Pulwama. The police personnel also retaliated and in the exchange of fire three police personnel were injured,” he said.

However, when the police personnel were being shifted to hospital there was stone pelting in the area, he said adding the injured were finally shifted to hospital where Selection Grade Constables Ghulam Rasool Lone son of Mohammad Afzal of Gagal, Lolab in Kupwara and Ghulam Hassan Wagay son of Wali Mohammad Wagay of Rafibad in Baramula, were declared brought dead.
The injured constable Manzoor Ahmad has been shifted to SMHS hospital for treatment.

SSP Pulwama Chowdary Muhammad Aslam said that terrorists managed to escape from the spot after carrying deadly attack.

He confirmed that the terrorists later took away two weapons of police personnel before escaping from the area under the cover of darkness.

The area was cordoned off shortly after the attack, however, no arrests were made.

Eyewitnesses said that there was intense firing. “It looked like a fidayeen attack to us,” they said.
A senior police officer said it is suspected the terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) are responsible for the attack on policemen. “

We have identified stone pelters on security forces after the attack,” he said.

In the second attack came barely hours after terrorists lobbed a grenade on CRPF party near Janglat Mandi in Anantnag district of South Kashmir on Tuesday wee hours, injuring ten paramilitary men.

Official sources told that the terrorists hurled the grenade on CRPF party near Janglat Mandi. The incident occurred during their withdrawal from the area. Ten CRPF troopers sustained splinter injuries in the incident and have been hospitalised and are said to be stable now.

A police officer confirmed the injuries in the blast and said that investigations have been launched to nab the assailants.

Terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed the grenade attack saying that ten soldiers were injured.

JeM spokesperson in a statement issued to a Valley-based news agency said it carried out the attack at Anantnag’s Janglaat Mandi early morning when the CRPF party was patrolling in the area. In the attack, the Jaish claimed to have killed two CRPF men and injuring ten others.

Earlier late Monday night, a security force jawan was injured when terrorists hurled a hand grenade followed by firing towards a camp at Verinag in Anantnag district. The jawan identified as Pintu Sharma was admitted to hospital, they said adding security forces also retaliated but the terrorists managed to escape.

The terrorist attacks came hours after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed concern over the militant attacks and said, how far this political process could be carried forward depends upon the improvement of the situation at the ground level. ''You can yourself observe on daily basis there are grenade onslaughts, security forces are attacked and weapons are being snatched… so the atmosphere further deteriorates,'' Mehbooba said.

Later in the day, a Wreath laying ceremony of the slain cops was held at District Police Lines Pulwama in Pulwama. Meanwhile, thousands of people attended funeral prayers of both the slain policemen at their respective native villages in Wohlutra Rafiabad and Gagal Lolab in Kupwara.

Wagay was the only bread earner of ten members of the family including four children and old aged parents, locals said. They said Wagay was a good human being and never troubled any villager. He always used to help his neighbors and will be missed by everybody in the village, locals said. The deceased, they said, was a pious human being and would lead Friday prayers in local Mosque. Also, thousands of people took part in the funeral prayers of Lone.