Militants shoot dead policeman in Kulgam

A policeman was shot dead by unidentified militants in South Kashmir's Kulgam district on Thursday.

A police official said constable Shabir Ahmad Dar was shot outside his home in Bogund, Kulgam, 70 kms from here, by two pistol-borne militants. "Dar was referred to Srinagar hospital but unfortunately he succumbed to injuries on the way. He was posted with Special Operations Group (SOG) of J&K police and was currently on leave," he said.

The killing comes a day after Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) warned policemen to leave their jobs and join them. LeT commander Abu Ukasha in a video message had warned J&K cops to join them for the 'Kashmir cause.' "Why do you want win applause from (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi for killing your own brothers. You have to live and die with us only," he said.

However, no militant outfit claimed responsibility for the attack till evening. From the last few months, militants have time and again issued ing warnings to policemen “to quit and return home forthwith, otherwise be prepared to die.”

In March this year, after militants threatened families of several officers, especially in south Kashmir, the state police chief Shesh Pal Vaid had warned ultras that 'they too have families.'

"Militants should realise they too have families. Let them (militants) take this as a warning," Vaid said. “This is between police and terrorists and families should not be brought into this conflict. If the police start doing this (threatening), what will happen to their (militant) families.”

During last year's unrest, the families of policemen came under mob attacks in the valley after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. The homes of several policemen were vandalised by crowds after separatist groups named some officers, accusing them of killings and harassing people.