Militants kill policeman in Anantnag, Hizb claims responsibility

Srinagar: A policeman was killed and a civilian injured when suspected militant fired upon a police patrol near Haasanpora Arwani Bijbehara in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Monday.
The slain policeman has been identified as Salamtullah Khan Son of Barkatullah Khan of Uri Baramullah (Belt No 442-17 A), while injured was identified as Shabir Ahmad Naiko son of Mohammad Shaban Naiko of Kanipora, Kulgam.
Sources said the suspected militants opened fire on the policeman with a pistol when he came to market to by a water bottle at 12.45 PM. Soon after the shootout the injured cop was shifted to Bijbehara Hospital where he was declared brought dead.
The injured civilian is being treated at the hospital where his condition is said to be stable.
The shootout created panic in entire area. Joint columns of Army, SOG of JK Police cordoned off the area and carried out a search operation, however no one was arrested.
An eyewitness told that he heard gun shots and people started running towards safer places. The policeman was lying in a pool of blood he said. Another eyewitness said, “I came out of shop to inquire, the commuters had disappeared and the policeman was lying in a pool of blood,” he said adding in the meanwhile large contingents of police and Army arrived on the spot.
Soon after the incident, senior police officers including Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Abdul Gani Mir reached the spot to take stock of the situation. The area was cordoned off and a search operation was carried out, however no one was arrested.
Meanwhile, militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen owned responsibility for the attack. In a telephonic message to news agency, a caller identifying himself as Baleeguddin, operational spokesman of Hizb said guerrillas of the outfit carried out the attack.