Unarmed police officer shot dead

An unarmed police officer was shot dead by unidentified militants in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Monday.

Reports said militants opened fire at assistant sub inspector Abdul Rasheed from close range, at Mehandi Kadal Anantnag, 55 km from here, wounding him critically. The policeman was on duty without a weapon at the time of the incident.

Rasheed was rushed to Srinagar in a critical condition, but he succumbed to his injuries in SKIMS hospital here.

The killing comes barely 36 hours after the deadly fidayeen (suicide) attack on district police lines in neighbouring Pulwama district, in which eight security personnel and three militants were killed.

Meanwhile, reports said, clashes erupted in Vijpara area of Hajin in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district after security forces launched cordon and search operation (CASO) in the area.

Youths pelted stones at security forces as they laid cordon in the village. In turn they responded by firing several tear smoke shells, triggering clashes, reports said.