SRINAGAR: Two Special Police Officers (SPOs), who fled with their service rifles on Thursday and embraced militancy, were among the four Jaish-e-Mohammad militants killed in a fierce gunfight with security forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Friday.
A police officer said acting on specific inputs on the presence of militants, a search operation was launched by the forces at Panjran and Litter in Pulwama district late Thursday evening.
“During the search operation, militants hiding in the area opened fire on the troops. The forces returned fire, triggering a gunfight,” the officer said. He added that in the exchange of fire that went on till the early hours of Friday, four Jaish militants were killed.
The slain SPO, were identified as Mohammad Salman Khan and Shabir Ahmad Dar. Both were posted at the District Police Lines in Pulwama.While Shabir joined the police force a year ago, Salman began discharging his duties as an SPO in 2017.
Two cops injured in grenade attack
Militants lobbed a grenade towards a police station in Sopore on Friday. The explosion left two policemen injured. They were rushed to a hospital.
Accidental firing
A para-commando posted in Mastpora area of Shopian was injured after being hit by a bullet from his own service rifle on Friday. He was declared dead at a nearby hospital.
Lelhari replaces Musa
Al Qaeda affiliate Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGH) has appointed Hameed Lelhari alias Haroon Abbas as its new chief for Kashmir after the killing of Zakir Musa.
In a video released on Wednesday, Abu Ubaidah Hafizahullah. Ghazi Ibrahim Khalid has been appointed as Lehari’s deputy. Lehari was a close aide of Musa, who was killed in a gunfight on May 23.