SRINAGAR: A militant attack on police in which a cop was killed, and two encounter in which three militants including a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander were killed and Pakistani troops firing along Line of Control (LoC) in which a BSF man and a civilian were injured took place in Jammu and Kashmir, where Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived on a four-day visit Saturday morning to review security situation in the State.
As Home Minister was interacting with delegations in Srinagar, militants fired on a police party at General Bus Stand in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district at around 5.30 pm.
Two policemen sustained injuries in the militant firing. They were hospitalized, where one of them identified as constable, Imtiyaz Ahmed succumbed to injuries.
The doctors are attending on another injured constable identified as Shabir Ahmad, who was hit by bullet in shoulder.
Home Minister is scheduled to visit Anantnag tomorrow, where is likely to meet some youth and civil society members besides security officials.
The militants also fired on a security forces party at Burbugh village in Imam Sahib, Shopian in south Kashmir this evening.
Sources said militants fired on an army vehicle in the area.
“The fire was returned by the troops, triggering an encounter. In the brief gunfight, two militants have been killed,” they said.
They said the operation was going on when reports last poured in.
Meanwhile, district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen was killed in an encounter with a joint party of police, CRPF and army during a cordon and search operation at Dangerpora, Reban, Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district this morning.
The slain militant was identified as Shahid Ahmad Sheikh alias Shabir of Handwara, Kupwara.
A police spokesman said he was earlier affiliated with JeM but was now associated with Hizb and was its district commander.
“He was involved in many attacks on security forces and civilians,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pakistani troops breached border ceasefire in Balnoi, Krishna Ghati, Chakan da Bagh and Mankote sectors of Poonch district today.
Defence sources said that Pakistani troops fired from automatic weapons and resorted to mortar shelling on army and BSF positions and civilian areas in the sectors.
They said a BSF jawan S k Swain sustained injuries in Pak troops firing in Balnoi sector. “He has been hospitalized and doctors have termed his condition as stable”.
A police spokesman said a civilian identified as Mohammad Younis, 22, was injured in the Pak firing.
Defence sources said army and BSF men also effectively returned the fire with similar caliber weapons.