J&K: BDC member, cop killed in Sopore militant attack, civilian injured

A meeting of BDC chairperson Fareeda Khan of the Langate, Handwara was being held at Sopore when militants opened fire

A block development council (BDC) member and a policeman were killed and a civilian was injured in a militant attack outside the municipality office in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Monday.

A police official said that BDC member Reyaz Ahmad Peer of Ningli, Sopore, and special police officer (SPO) Shafqat Khan and a civilian, Shamas Din Peer, were seriously injured when militants opened fire on them.

The injured were shifted to a hospital where Peer and Khan succumbed to their injuries. The civilian has been referred to Srinagar for specialized treatment.

“#Terrorists fired at Municipal Office #Sopore. In this #terror incident, police personnel Shafqat Ahmad & councillor Riyaz Ahmad got #martyred & councillor Shams-ud-din Peer got injured. Injured shifted to hospital for treatment. Area cordoned off & further details shall follow,” J&K police said in a tweet.

According to eyewitnesses, a meeting of BDC chairperson Fareeda Khan of the Langate, Handwara was being held at the Dak Bungalow, Sopore, when the militants opened fire.

Meanwhile, former chief minister and National Conference leader, Omar Abdullah condemned the attack. “News coming in of a militant attack on the municipal office in Sopore. My unequivocal condemnation of this attack together with my sympathies for the deceased & prayers for the injured (sic),” he tweeted.