JOIN US2 policemen killed, 12 injured in Srinagar terror attack
Two police personnel were killed while 12 others injured when militants attacked a bus they were traveling in near a police camp at Zewan on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday evening.
The attack happened near the Srinagar-Jammu national highway and was the second such incident in the same area. On September 1, 2017 a policeman was killed and seven others injured in a similar attack.
Reports said two to three militants opened indiscriminate fire on the bus in the highly secure area that houses several camps of various security forces.
The injured personnel were immediately shifted to nearby health facilities. However, two among them succumbed to their injuries in a hospital. The slain policemen were identified as assistant sub inspector Ghulam Hassan and senior grade constable Safique Ali.
Earlier, police in a tweet said: “#Terrorists fired upon a police vehicle near Zewan in Pantha Chowk area of #Srinagar. 14 personnel #injured in the attack. All the injured personnel evacuated to hospital. Area cordoned off. Further details shall follow.”
The area, which is barely a kilometer away from the strategic 15-Corps headquarters, has witnessed a number of militant attacks in recent years. Zewan houses offices of one deputy inspector general rank officer and three commanding officers of Armed police battalions, besides a police hospital and several Army, CRPF and BSF camps.
Since 2015 a number of deadly attacks on security forces' convoys have been reported on Srinagar-Jammu national highway. While the highway is 264 kms long, it is the 40-km stretch between Bijbehera town to Pantha Chowk on Srinagar outskirts that is turning out to be a death trap for security forces.
Though CCTV cameras were installed at various points on the highway and deployment of forces on this vulnerable stretch was strengthened, militants still manage to make surprise attacks.
A senior police official said the latest deadly attack is a wake-up call for security agencies to conduct reviews.
Meanwhile, PDP president and former J&K CM tweeted: Terribly sad to hear about the Srinagar attack in which two policemen were killed. GOIs false narrative of normalcy in Kashmir stands exposed yet there has been no course correction. My condolences to the bereaved families. (sic)”
National Conference leader and another former CM Omar Abdullah in a tweet said: “Terrible news of a terror attack on a police bus on the outskirts of Srinagar. I unequivocally condemn this attack while at the same time send my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased & prayers for the injured.”