Srinagar: Five people, two policemen and three civilians lost their lives in a terrorist attack in Sopore on Saturday. Two other police personnel have also been injured in the militant attack (जम्मू-कश्मीर आतंकी हमला). The attack has been carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba according to statements given by the Kashmir IG Vijay Kumar to news agencies.
The militants had fired at the police party. The police party was ambushed when they were at the main market. "At around 12 pm, unidentified militant fired at the police party at main market Sopore. During the attack, civilians were injured. He has been shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment," a police official said. He further said, "the condition of the injured is stated to be stable. Meanwhile, search operations have been launched in the area to nab the attacker."
Read: Major tragedy averted as security forces recover IED in J-K's Pulwama
As per the police's preliminary investigation, militants linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT are involved in the attack. Soon after the attack, the area was cordoned off and efforts are on to nab the terrorists involved in the terror attack. Inspector-General of Police Vijay Kumar, meanwhile, confirmed that two local LeT militants were involved in the attack. "Two local LeT (militants) identified as Fayaz War and Mudasir Pandit were involved in today’s attack. Security forces are on the job and they will be neutralised soon," the IGP Kashmir said.
Tributes paid to slain cops
The slain cops who died in the attack were residents of central Kashmir's Budgam district. As soon as the dead bodies reached their respective native villages, locals started wailing while some of them gave vent their anger and frustration chanting slogans. And within no time hundreds from adjoining villages joined for the two last journeys of Waseem Bhat (Narbal) and Showkat Parray (Beerwah).
Similar scenes were witnessed at the funerals of the two civilians killed in today's attack.
A wreath-laying ceremony led by DGP J&K Dilbag Singh (IPS) was held at DPL Srinagar, where floral tributes were paid to the two constables.
SDG CRPF Sanjay Arora, ADGP Armed J&K SJM Gillani (IPS), ADGP Security SD Singh Jamwal (IPS), IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar (IPS, IG CRPF (Ops) Kashmir Deepak Ratan (IPS), DIG CKR Amit Kumar (IPS), DIG NKR Sujeet Kumar (IPS), SSP Srinagar, besides, other officers and officials and family members of the policemen also laid floral wreaths on the mortal remains and paid tributes to the duo.
Political leader condemn attacks
Meanwhile, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Saturday condemned the militant attack on security forces in Sopore town of Baramulla district. "Terrible news coming in from Sopore. Such attacks must be condemned without reservation. Prayers for the injured & condolences to the families of the deceased," Abdullah said in a tweet. The former chief minister was reacting to the militant attack on security forces in Sopore that has left two police personnel and two civilians dead and several others injured.
-
Terrible news coming in from Sopore. Such attacks must be condemned without reservation. Prayers for the injured & condolences to the families of the deceased. https://t.co/MzsnpHxKSQ
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 12, 2021 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Terrible news coming in from Sopore. Such attacks must be condemned without reservation. Prayers for the injured & condolences to the families of the deceased. https://t.co/MzsnpHxKSQ
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 12, 2021Terrible news coming in from Sopore. Such attacks must be condemned without reservation. Prayers for the injured & condolences to the families of the deceased. https://t.co/MzsnpHxKSQ
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 12, 2021
Former CM and President of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti said that guns cannot solve the issue of Kashmir. She said the only dialogue can resolve the issues.
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) too condemned the attack, describing it as cowardice and mindless. The party, in the statement, expressed anguish over the loss of precious lives and expressed solidarity with the bereaved families of slain cops and civilians.
Condemning the attack, CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said violence in any form is not in the interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “Such incidents leave a question before everybody that for how long the blood of people will continue to flow in Kashmir? Violence and killings can never be a solution to any problem. Violence in any form is highly condemnable and must come to an immediate end,” he said. Expressing solidarity with the bereaved families, he urged the authorities to ensure that proper treatment is made available to the injured persons in the incident.
Reacting to the attack, Peoples Conference President Sajad Lone asked militants "to ponder whose war they are fighting for." "Five succumb in Sopore attack. 3 civilians and 2 policemen. Mr gunmen- Approximately-5 Kashmiri funerals. 5 widows. 10 grieving old parents. A dozen or more orphans. All Kashmiris. So Mr gunmen. Really want to know. Whose bloody side are you on (SIC)," he tweeted.
He further said, "When will this madness end. Gun came to Kashmir fighting in 1989. 32 years down the line. I can unambiguously state. That gun enslaves the very people that it purports to fight for. The gunmen need to ponder whose war they are fighting."
While condemning the attack, Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari called for an end to loss of the precious human lives. Bukhari while terming the attack most gruesome and heart-wrenching said, “Violence has never been a solution but a huge impediment in peace and progress of any society. Extremist forces are only adding to the sufferings of people." Regardless of any political, ideological or religious motivations—violence in any of its manifestations is unacceptable,” he added. He also claimed that the senseless violence has ravaged all the sections of the society in Jammu and Kashmir inflicting a heavy toll on precious human lives. “Not only a generation of humans has been lost to this barbaric mode of communication but forces inimical to peace have also wreaked havoc to the socio-economic conditions of the people during the last over three decades,” he said.
