Cop, civilian shot dead by militants

Militants shot dead a policeman and a physically-challenged civilian in Sopore town of north Kashmir Baramulla district on Tuesday.

Superintendent of Police, Police Control Room, Imtiyaz Hussain said militants opened fire on the police post outside the shrine and the adjacent masjid in Tujjar Sharief, 55 km from here injuring constable Fayaz Ahmad and a civilian Abdul Rahim Lone.

He said both of them succumbed to injuries while being shifted to hospital.

Sources said the militants who had come on a motorbike snatched the INSAS rifle of the slain policeman before fleeing.

Reports said immediately after the attack security forces cordoned off the area and launched a hunt to nab the assailants and recover the stolen weapon. No militant outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.