2 policemen killed, 12 CRPF personnel injured in 3 militant attacks in Kashmir

Srinagar: Two Selection Grade Constables (SgCts) were killed and 12 security personnel, including ten Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), were injured as militants struck at three places during the holy night of Shab-i-Qadr in south Kashmir.
Last year during this holy night a Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy SP) Mohammad Ayub Pandith was lynched by a violent mob near historic Jamia Masjid when he was on duty in civic.
The militant attacks came hours after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed concern over the militant attacks and said, how far this political process could be carried forward depends upon the improvement of the situation at the ground level. ”You can yourself observe on daily basis there are grenade onslaughts, security forces are attacked and weapons are being snatched… so the atmosphere further deteriorates,” Ms Mehbooba said.
A police spokesman said a group of militants attacked police personnel, guarding New Court Complex at Pulwama at 0330 hrson Tuesday when people were busy in special prayers on the occasion of Shab-i-Qadr across the Kashmir valley. The police personnel also retaliated and in the exchange of fire three police personnel were injured.
However, when the police personnel were being shifted to hospital there was stone pelting in the area, he said adding the injured were finally shifted to hospital where SgCt Ghulam Rasool and SgCt Ghulam Hassan, residents of north Kashmir, were declared brought dead. The condition of another injured constable was stable and he was operated upon by the doctors.
Official sources said the militants later took away two weapons of police personnel before escaping from the area under the cover of darkness.
A senior police officer confirming the incident said it is suspected the militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) are responsible for the attack on policemen. We have identified stone pelters on security forces after the attack, he said.
At least ten CRPF personnel were injured when militants hurled a hand grenade towards a patrol party on law and order duty at Janglat Mandi in Anantnag town in the wee hours on Tuesday. Though the area was immediately cordoned off but the militants managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
The sound of the blast, heard in the entire town, caused panic as people were busy offering special prayers in mosque on the occasion of Shab-i-Qadr.
A security force jawan was injured when militants hurled a hand grenade followed by firing towards a camp at Verinag in Anantnag district last night. A jawan identified as Pintu Sharma was admitted to hospital, they said adding security forces also retaliated but the militants managed to escape.