Militants kill 3 policemen in J&K''s Shopian

Tribune News Service
Srinagar, September 21

Three policemen were kidnapped from their homes in south Kashmir’s Shopian district and shot dead in cold blood by the Hizbul Mujahideen on Friday, police said as a new page opened up in the three-decade chapter of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Hizbul Mujahideen is believed to be responsible for the killings, which also shook the 1.2 lakh-strong Jammu and Kashmir Police force with at least six special police officers (SPOs) announcing their resignations on social media, officials said.

The bodies of the slain policemen--identified as constable Nissar Ahmed and special police officers Firdous Ahmed and Kulwant Singh--were found in an orchard across a river, they said.

A video purportedly from the Hizbul Mujahideen had warned all Kashmiri residents working as SPOs to tender their resignations.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Swayam Prakash Pani termed the incident cowardice and said “the militants are desperate as they are feeling the heat from security forces”.

“We have lost three of our brave colleagues in a barbaric terror strike. Our tribute to the three martyred jawans. We will soon bring all the culprits before law,” he added.

The three policemen were kidnapped early on Friday morning from their homes at Batagund and Kapran villages,  police said.

The residents of Batagund village chased the militants and pleaded with them not to kidnap the men. The kidnappers fired shots in the air and threatened the villagers, officials said.

The militants crossed a river in the area and shot them dead, the officials added.

A post on a Twitter handle purportedly belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen group claimed responsibility for the incident. Security agencies also believe that Hizb militants are behind the killings. 

The kidnapping of the policemen from their homes and the killing is the first in the three decades of militancy in the state. Earlier, policemen have been targeted on the road or during their duties.

The killings are believed to have triggered panic in the lower ranks of the police department with at least six policemen resigning. Two of them issued video messages dissociating themselves from the force.

“My name is Irshad Ahmad Baba and I was working as a constable in the police.  I have rendered my resignation,” said one of them in a video being widely circulated on social media here.

Tajalla Hussain Lone, an SPO, said he had resigned from the police department on September 17 and was issuing the video to put to rest any doubts that he had done so.

Police refused to comment on the resignations, saying they would verify the information. 

Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo has repeatedly warned local policemen, especially SPOs, telling them to resign from the force, saying the government is using them.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti expressed her outrage on Twitter.

“Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock & condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims,” she said.

The Centre’s muscular policy, she added, was not working at all with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families.

“Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now,” she tweeted.

The policemen were kidnapped nearly three weeks after militants kidnapped relatives of policemen from various places in south Kashmir on August 30. The relatives were later released.

At least eight people whose relatives worked in Jammu and Kashmir Police were kidnapped.

Naikoo had purportedly claimed responsibility for the kidnappings in a 12-minute video, issuing a three-day deadline for the release of all relatives of miltants who were in police custody.

The latest round of killings comes soon after elections to panchayats and urban local bodies were announced.

'Propaganda'

The Home Ministry denied reports of policemen resigning.

Reports have appeared in a section of media that some special police officers (SPOs) in Jammu and Kashmir have resigned, but the state police force has confirmed that these reports are "untrue and motivated", the ministry said in a statement.

"These reports are based on false propaganda by mischievous elements," it said. PTI