Body of abducted policeman found in J&K

A police constable on leave, who was abducted by militants in Mutalhama village of south Kashmir's Kulgam district on Friday night, was found dead nearby Qaimoh area on Saturday.

A police official said that a group of militants barged inside the home of Mohammad Saleem Shah late Friday night and took him along to an unknown destination. His body was found near Odipora, Qaimoh Saturday afternoon, he said.

Saleem, who was recently promoted as constable from a special police officer (SPO) was undergoing training in Kathua district of Jammu region and had come home on leave a few days back.

Earlier on July 5, another policeman Javaid Dar was abducted by militants from neighbouring Shopian district. He was found dead in Kulgam on July 6. On June 14, Army soldier Aurangzeb, who lived in Kashmir's Poonch district, was abducted by militants in Pulwama while he was going to his hometown on leave. His bullet-ridden body was found at Gusoo Pulwama next day.

Over the last three years, south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama have become the epicentre of new age militancy with policemen and political workers targeted frequently.

Meanwhile, militants on Saturday carried two attacks in Kulgam and Anantang areas. In the first attack, militants fired upon Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men deployed on Khanabal-Pahalgam road at Bumzoo in Mattan area of the district.

Just a few hours after the first attack, militants targeted a patrolling party of the army in Qaimoh village of Kulgam. However, there was no report of any casualty in the twin attacks.