Cop killed, another injured in Bijbehara attack

Srinagar, May 15: A Special Police Officer (SPO) was killed and a constable suffered injuries in a militant attack at Bijbehara area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Tuesday.
Official sources said the militants opened indiscriminate fire upon a police vehicle at Padshaibagh in Bijbehara Monday afternoon.
In the incident, two policemen suffered injuries and were taken to nearby hospital where SPO Bilal Ahmad was declared brought dead on arrival.
The other injured identified as Head Constable Abdul Rashid was referred to Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment.
Deputy Inspector General of Police South Kashmir Range, Amit Kumar confirmed the death of SPO and injury to head constable in the attack.
DIG said that the area was immediately cordoned off and searches have also been launched to nab the assailants.
Meanwhile, a wreath-laying ceremony for the slain Bilal Ahmad Shah son of Mohammad Abbas, who laid his precious life in the line of duty, was held at District Police Lines Anantnag, a police spokesman in a statement issued here said.
DIG Amit Kumar led the Police and Civil officers and officials in laying the floral tributes on the mortal remains of the “martyr”, the spokesman said.
SSP Anantnag, Altaf Ahmad Khan, DC Anantnag Mohd Younis, SP HQRS Anantnag Tahir Ashraf, senior Army/CRPF officers were among the others who laid floral wreaths on the mortal remains of the slain, he said.
Bilal Ahmad who was a native of Gani Gund Verinag is survived by an unmarried sister, aged parents and a grandmother, the spokesman added.
The incident came three days after a CRPF man was killed and a civilian was wounded during a gunfight between militants and forces’ personnel at Chinar Bagh village in Pulwama district on Friday night.
Forty-one people including militants, civilians and security personnel were killed in various instances of violence across Kashmir in April. This month, 23 people including three personnel of security forces and eight civilians have been killed so far.