Srinagar:A Head Constable (HC) of Jammu and Kashmir police was killed and seven others were wounded, three of them critically, when militants ambushed their bus on Pantha Chowk-Zewan road in the city outskirts this evening.
No militant outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, which came at a time when security forces across the Kashmir valley had been put under high alert following intelligence input that two groups of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) have infiltrated into Srinagar and south Kashmir to strike on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha tomorrow. However, some national news channels said Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) has claimed responsibility.
Police personnel have already been asked to avoid visiting the areas where militants could strike against them when they go to celebrate Eid with their families in their respective native places.
Police said one HC was killed and three other injured are stable.
Official sources told UNI that a bus carrying police personnel were returning from Srinagar to Zewan Police Complex when it came under heavy fire from militants this evening around 1945 hrs this evening.
Eight police personnel were injured in the attack, sources said adding the militants managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
Police said locals in the area immediately joined the rescue operation and helped to shift the injured to hospital.
One of the injured identified as HC Krishan Lal succumbed while the condition of HC Shabir Ahmad, Selection Grade Constable (SGC) Abdul Hamid and constable Mehrajuddin was stated to be critical. The injured have been rushed to Army Base Hospital, they said.
Director General of Police (DGP) Dr S P Vaid and Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, have already advised police personnel, going to home to celebrate Eid to take extra precautions in view of the reports that militants would hit soft target.
Recently an Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) was shot dead by militants in Anantnag while another police personnel of the same rank was shot at and wounded in Shopian.
Four CRPF and as many police personnel were killed in a fidayeen attack on District Police Line(DPL), Pulwama recently. Three JeM militants who stormed the DPL were also killed in the 18-hour-long encounter.
