An officer of Jammu and Kashmir police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) wing, on way to home, was shot dead by unidentified militants in southern Pulwama district on Sunday.
Sources said the militants waylaid sub-inspector Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir when he was travelling in his private car. “It looks like that he was first abducted and later shot dead from a point-blank range,” they said.
The officer, who worked with the CID department, was shot dead near Romshi Nallah in Wahibugh, he said. Mir, a resident of Sontbug, Pulwama was presently posted at Shergari police station in Srinagar.
Police while confirming the incident said that the bullet-riddled body of the officer was recovered from the area.
Barely a few hours later militants shot dead a worker of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Gungbugh area of Srinagar. Police identified the slain as Mohammad Amin Dar, a resident of Gungbugh. Dar received serious bullet wounds and was taken to JVC hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead on arrival.
For months now militants have been warning local policemen and political workers to quit their jobs and not to take part in political activities respectively, or be ready for the dire consequences. Nearly 40 cops have been killed in militancy-related incidents this year while over a dozen political workers were shot dead.
Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit has issued threat videos several times in the past few months threatening local police personnel of dire consequences unless they quit their jobs. Hizbul commander Riyaz Naikoo had also issued a strong warning to those participating in civic polls and Panchayat elections, asking them to get shrouds along with the election forms.
A senior police officer said militants know that the police are an important component of anti-insurgency operations and want to demoralise the force by targeting them and their families.
“Militants are increasingly attacking policemen and political workers to make the police department and democratic institutions defunct in the Valley like early 1990’s. They have clear cut instructions from their handlers across the border to target them,” he revealed.