Two cops, as many civilians killed in Sopore militant attack

Two cops, as many civilians killed in Sopore militant attack

Srinagar, Jun 12: Two policemen and as many civilians were killed and at least three others injured on Saturday when militants opened fire on a police party in Sopore town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, officials said.

The attack took place around noon when militants opened fire on a police party deployed in the town for COVID-19 duty in Arampora area, said DGP J&K Dilbagh Singh, reported News agency.

DGP Dilbagh Singh said that at least three more cops, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector, and two more civilians were injured in the attack which has been condemned by J&K LG Manoj Sinha and other political parties.

The slain cops have been identified as Showkat Ahmad, son of Abdul Gani Parray of Goripora Beerwah area in district Budgam and Constable Waseem Ahmad, son of Mohammad Sadiq Bhat of Narbal area.

Among the injured cops, ASI Mukesh Kumar has been referred to a Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment. Another injured police man has been identified as SPO Danish.

The slain civilians were identified as Manzoor Ahmad Shalla of Shalimar Colony Sopore and Bashir Ahmad of Mahrajpora Sopore.

Soon after the attack, security forces cordoned off the area and a hunt has been launched to nab the attackers. Sources said that senior police officers have reached the spot and are taking overall view of the situation. A police official said that militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba was behind the attack.

Attack condemned

Several politicians hailing from various political parties have condemned the attack, calling the violence ‘unacceptable’.

Taking to Twitter, the National Conference said that the party unequivocally condemns the killing of two cops and a civilian in Sopore today and prays that the bereaved families find enough strength to bear the irreparable loss. “Government must ensure a stop to such brutal loss of lives,” it said.

Former J&K Chief Minister and NC Working President Omar Abdullah said such attacks must be condemned without reservation. “Prayers for the injured & condolences to the families of the deceased,” he wrote on Twitter.

In a statement, Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari while condemning the attack, said the attack was “most gruesome and heart wrenching”. Bukhari said: “Violence has never been a solution but a huge impediment in peace and progress of any society. Extremist forces are only adding to the sufferings of people. Regardless of any political, ideological or religious motivations—violence in any of its manifestations is unacceptable.”

He said that the senseless violence has ravaged all the sections of the society in Jammu and Kashmir inflicting a heavy toll on precious human lives. “Not only a generation of humans has been lost to this barbaric mode of communication but forces inimical to peace have also wrecked havoc to the socio-economic conditions of the people during the last over three decades,” he said.

Batting for dialogue, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti said that gun can't resolve any issue and that only dialogue can bring peace in the Union Territory. “We condemn such attacks. These attacks cannot solve the issue of Jammu and Kashmir,” news agency Mehbooba as having said.

Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone put out a series of tweets, saying that the gun enslaves the people it purports to fight for. "When will this madness end? Gun came to Kashmir in 1989, 32 years down the line, I can unambiguously state that gun enslaves the very people that it purports to fight for. The gunmen really need to ponder whose war they are fighting," he tweeted.