Twin militant attacks leaves two policemen dead, one injured

‘Militant’ arrested after stabbing SOG man
Pulwama: Amid inputs from a possible militant attack in South Kashmir’s Pulwama town, unidentified militants Monday killed two policemen outside Court Complex while in another attack a militant stabbed a Special Operation Group man in Pampore town injuring him critically.
Police sources told Srinagar based news gathering agency CNS that police had inputs that militants may strike in an any part of the South Kashmir’s Pulwama town and to thwart the attempt of militants, security was beefed all around in the town. Police, SOG and CRPF personnel had laid barricades on Srinagar-Pulwama road near Gangoo area stopping scores of vehicles and checked the identity cards of the passengers.
Eyewitnesses told CNS that at around 11:45 a.m, near Drangabal Pampore, a youth attacked an SOG man with a sharp knife and stabbed his neck. The incident occurred when Army personnel from 50 RR, CRPF and SOG personnel had been deployed in strength in Pampore town. Sources said that a man using phiran took out his sharp knife and attacked the SOG man Bhopindar Singh son of Sher Singh resident of Dhar Basoli Kathua and snatched his service rifle when the SOG man fell down in a pool of blood. The Government Forces immediately swung into action and chased him. Eyewitnesses said that the Government Forces chased and overpowered him. He was detained in police station Pampore while a police official said that the said assailant belongs to a militant outfit and he identified him as Ishfaq Ahmed Khan son of Ghulam Nabi resident of Hundura Tral. “He is being questioned and everything will be clear after his interrogation,” he said.
Locals said that Government Forces resorted to intense aerial firing soon after the incident which created panic in the area. Traffic on Srinagar-Jammu Highway came to grinding halt for about an hour.
Meanwhile, Medical Superintendent SKIMS, Dr Farooq Jan told CNS that the injured SOG man identified as Bhupinder Singh has deep stab wound on his neck and he is under observation. “He has suffered C1, C2 and T2 which in medical terminology is called cervical vertebra fracture in vital area. The injured policeman is so far stable but due to critical wound we can’t predict about his survival,” he said.
Barely two hours after this attack, militants appeared outside Court Complex Pulwama and fired upon a police vehicle. Panic gripped in the town after continuous gunshots were heard, while people and shopkeepers ran for cover.
Police sources told CNS that the unidentified militants fired indiscriminately upon police vehicle in which two policemen were critically injured. Policemen present in and around the area and rushed the injured policemen to District Hospital Pulwama. One of them breathed his last on way while the other died immediately after arriving in the hospital.
The two deceased policemen have been identified as Mukhtiyar Ahmed Wani (484PL) resident of Syed Wari Qazigund and Farooq Ahmed Mir (70PL) resident of Vedpora Shopian. Locals and traders  alleged that some SOG personnel went berserk soon after the militant attack and beat people to pulp, an allegation denied by police.
Sources said that in order to nab the militants, Army personnel from 55 RR, 183 Battalion CRPF, police and SOG personnel cordoned off adjoining areas of Court Complex. Reports said the Dangarpora and Washbough area were also sealed to nab the militants.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Abdul Gani Mir rushed to Pulwama soon after the incident and paid a rich tribute to the deceased policemen. Besides IGP, several police officer’s attendant the wreath laying ceremony of the killed policemen.
A police handout issued to CNS said that some unknown militants fired upon a Police vehicle near court complex which resulted in the death of two policemen idenitified as Farooq Ahmad Mir son of Ghulam Hassan Mir resident of Vedpora Pulwama and Mukhtar Ahmad Wani son of Ghulam Hassan Wani resident of Syed Wari Qazigund. Immediately after incident senior officers including IGP Kashmir A.G. Mir visited Pulwama.
A wreath laying ceremony was held at DPL Pulwama to pay homage to the departed SPOs. Farooq Ahmad Mir son of Ghulam Hassan Mir is survived by his aged mother and father, 02 brothers, sister, wife and a son while Mukhtar Ahmad Wani son of Ghulam Hassan Wani is survived by his widow mother, brother, wife and an infant daughter of two months. (CNS)