SRINAGAR: A Pakistani prisoner was killed and five policemen injured in a mysterious blast in a police vehicle in Sopore town in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday while army foiled an infiltration bid in Machil sector in border district of Kupwara by killing a militant.
A police officer said a Pakistani prisoner Waheed Noor Khan, who was arrested in 2010 for his involvement in militancy related cases, was presented in court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Sopore in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district today.
“He was brought to the court from Central Jail, Srinagar by a police escort. While he and the policemen were returning to Srinagar after the court hearing, a blast took place inside the police vehicle near Haigam, Sopore,” he said.
The officer said the blast killed the Pakistani prisoner on spot and injured five policemen travelling in the vehicle.
The injured policemen were shifted to nearby hospital, wherefrom all of them were shifted to Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment. The doctors have termed condition of one of them as “life threatening”.
Asked how the blast took place inside the vehicle, police official said, “We have launched investigations to ascertain who was carrying the explosive material in the vehicle.”
“We are trying to ascertain whether the Pakistani prisoner was carrying the grenade after getting it from somebody in the court or somebody had planted the bomb in the vehicle. All angles are being probed,” he said.
No militant group has claimed responsibility for blast in police vehicle in Sopore, where unidentified assailants have already shot dead six persons including two former militants, two activists of hardline leader Syed Ali Geelani’s party and two people associated with mobile business.
Police blames Lashkar-e-Islami, breakaway faction of Hizbul Mujahideen for the civilian killings but the militant outfit has denied its involvement in the attacks.
Army foils infiltration bid, militant killed:
Meanwhile, army foiled an infiltration bid in Machil sector of border district of Kupwara.
“In the early morning hours today, a group of militants attempting infiltration were spotted and engaged at the LoC fencing in Machil sector by the army men operating in the area,” Defence spokesman Lt Col N N Joshi said.
He said infiltrating militants fired on the army men, who also retaliated.
“In the ensuing firefight, a militant was killed. His body was recovered from the encounter site along with an AK 47 rifle and other ammunition,” Joshi said adding identity of the deceased militant is being ascertained.
He said the combing and search operation in the area is going on and counter infiltration grid has been further reinforced.