5 policemen 2 Bank guards killed in militant attack

Kulgam, May 1: In a deadly attack, five policemen and two bank employees were killed in Pombai village of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Monday.
Reports said that a Jammu Kashmir Bank van (JK0P-9793) was heading towards Kulgam after unloading cash at Jammu and Kashmir Bank in Nehama village, when it came under attack near Pombai village.
According to sources, a group of militants in army uniform were present on the secluded road. The bank driver took the militants as army personnel and stopped his vehicle. Sources added that as one of the policemen opened the window of the vehicle, the militants resorted to indiscriminate firing.
DIG South Kashmir, Swaivum Prakash Pani told  that a bank van was attacked by militants in which five policemen and two bank employees were killed. One of the slain policemen was Assistant Sub-Inspector. He said that militants also looted four rifles.
Witnesses said that shortly after the attack militants managed to flee from the spot, while it were civilians who reached first on the spot and shifted the wounded to hospital. Government forces rushed to spot later on and cordoned off the area. Doctors at District hospital Kulgam said that all the seven persons were brought dead. He identified two bank security guards as Muzaffar Ahmed Laway son of Muhammad Ayoub of Lagroo Kulgam and Javaid Ahmed Bhat son of Abdul Majid of Wesbatapora Kulgam whose bodies were handed over to the next of their kins. Police sources said that the driver of the van identified as Shabir Ahmed Bhat son of Abdul Rashid Bhat of Sadarbazar Bijbehara escaped unhurt.
The slain policemen have been identified as Ishfaq Ahmed Hajam son of Abdul Ahad of Batpora Zakoora Srinagar, Muzaffar Ahmed Bhat son of Gul Muhammad of YK Pora Qazigund, ASI Bashir Ahmed Dar son of Abdul Gani of Bonigam Qazigund, Muhammad Qasim Khan son of Bashir Ahmed of Awoora Manwan Thregam, Kupwara, Farooq Ahmed son of Abdul Aziz of Nehama Lakhadipora Kulgam. Slain Assistant Sub-Inspector Bashir Ahmed according to police source was on the verge of retirement. All the slain cops were shifted to District Police Lines Kulgam where floral tributes were paid to them. Besides, top police officiers, Inspector General of Police Syed Javaid Mujtaba Geelani was also present there.
While talking to reporters, IGP Kashmir Zone said that the militant attack left 5 policemen and two bank guards dead. “The attack was carried by Hizbul Mujhadeen outfit. The militants were three in number who were led by a local militant Umar Majid Wani,” SJM Geelani said. (CNS)