Militants kill 4 policemen, 2 Hizbul Mujahideen rebels die in gunfight in Kashmir's Shopian district

A police officer said militants fired on a police party at Arhama in Shopian district in the afternoon. He said militants attacked the cops when they were repairing a police official’s escort vehicle.

Security personnel take position near a house where militants were hiding during an encounter in which the top Hizbul Mujahideen militant, Altaf Ahmad Dar, and his associate Umar Rashid were killed, at Muniward in Anantnag district (Photo | PTI)

SRI NAGAR:  Militants on Wednesday ambushed a police party in militancy-infested Shopian district of south Kashmir, killing four policemen and taking their weapons. In a separate encounter in Anantnag district, two Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a top commander, were killed. A police officer said militants fired on a police party at Arhama in Shopian district in the afternoon. He said militants attacked the cops when they were repairing a police official’s escort vehicle which had developed a problem.

The official said four policemen sustained critical injuries and were evacuated to nearby hospital. “However, all the four injured policemen succumbed to injuries in the hospital”. The deceased policemen were identified as Constable Ishfaq Ahmad Mir, Constable Javaid Ahmad Bhat, Constable Mohammad Iqbal Mir and SPO Adil Manzoor Bhat. After the militant attack, security forces launched a combing and search operation to track down the militants responsible for the attack. However, no arrests were reported. 
Meanwhile, security forces shot dead two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen during an encounter in Anantnag district.

A police official said that acting on specific inputs about the presence of militants, a joint operation was launched by the police, CRPF and Army personnel in Muniward area, near Khanabal in Anantnag district.
While the security personnel were conducting searches, they came under fire from militants. The fire was returned by the troops. In the ensuing encounter, two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed. The deceased militants were identified as Hizb Commander Altaf Ahmad Dar alias Kachroo and Umar Rashid Wani of Khudwani. Kachroo was the top Hizbul Mujahideen militant and was active since 2012.
Police said he was involved in a series of attacks on security forces.

Top rebel killed

The deceased militants were identified as Hizb Commander Altaf Ahmad Dar alias Kachroo and Umar Rashid Wani of Khudwani. Kachroo was the top Hizb militant, active since 2012. He was involved in many attacks on security forces.