Hizb disowns liquor shop attack

The militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen on Friday disassociated itself from the attack carried out on a liquor shop here on Thursday.

However, the terror outfit welcomed the attack and asked all the wine shop owners to find  other alternative for livelihood.

“The attack on the liquor shop is timely and praise worthy. However, Hizb has no role in it,” Hizbul Mujahideen’s Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir-based spokesperson Saleem Hashmi told media.

One person was killed and three were injured  when militants struck in the tourist hub of Dal Lake area by opening fire on employees of liquor shops inside a government-run hotel on the Boulevard.

Immediately after the attack, a caller who identified himself as Junaid-ul-Islam had claimed responsibility for the attack on behalf of Hizbul Mujahideen.

Hashmi disowned Junaid-ul-Islam saying he does not belong to the organisation. “In Kashmir, our spokesperson is Baleeh-ud-Din,” he said.

In the past, the militants have several times attacked liquor shops in the Valley.