Four Policemen Killed by Militants in J&K’s Shopian; Jaish, Hizbul Claim Responsibility

Terror outfits Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the attack.

At least four Jammu and Kashmir policemen were killed on Wednesday in a militant attack in the Shopian district, the police said.

The incident took place after militants opened fire at the policemen at Bonagam in Shopian district, a police official told PTI. He said a police team has rushed to the spot to investigate the incident.

Officials said the weapons of the policemen were missing and police have launched a manhunt for the militants.

Four policemen have lost their lives after being attacked by terrorists in Shopian's Arahama; #Visuals from the hospital. #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/ORF0IXlKYV

— ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2018

According to Zee News sources, terror outfits Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the attack.

The incident came hours after two Hizbul militants were gunned down in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

The killed terrorists were identified as Altaf Ahmad Dar alias Ataf Kachroo alias Moin of Hawoora Mishipora and Omar Rashid Wani of Khudwani Kulgam.

Dar, who also hails from Kulgam in South Kashmir, was currently operating as a one of the most important terrorist Commander of proscribed terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen and had a long history of criminal records since 2007.

Considered as a long time surviving terrorist in the area, Dar was involved in series of terror crimes in the area which included attacks on the security forces and killings of civilians and policemen in South kashmir.

One of the police officials, who was involved in the operation, described him as a ‘chief architect’ of attacks on policemen.

The police spokesman also said that Dar along with his associate Yasin Itoo played a major role in instigating people during 2016 unrest which was sparked after the death of Hizbul Mujahideen’s poster boy Burhan Wani.

The other militant killed in the encounter was Omar Rashid Wani, who had become active since last year.

The spokesman said he was involved in many civilian atrocities and attacks on security establishments.

Wani was also involved in killing of policemen at Anantnag and recently he carried an attack on CRPF in Srinagar and managed to give a slip during the recent Batmaloo encounter site.

The spokesman said though the two were part of the Hizbul Mujahideen terror group, they managed to keep close coordination with other outfit for unleashing terror.