There are reports that Naveed has decamped with the rifle of one of the injured policemen. (Express photo by Naveed Iqbal)
A Pakistani militant fled from custody while two policemen were killed after suspected militants opened fire at a police party escorting prisoners to Srinagar’s premier Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS) Tuesday. The police party was bringing around five prisoners from the Central Jail for a routine medical check-up in the hospital when it came under attack.
The escaped militant has been identified as Naveed alias Abu Hanzulla, who was arrested from south Kashmir in 2014. He is believed to be an accomplice of top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Abu Dujjana who was killed last year in an operation. There are reports that Naveed has decamped with the rifle of one of the injured policemen.
The policemen who succumbed to bullet wounds has been identified as Constable Mushtaq Ahmed and Constable Babar Ahmed. The militants, it is learnt, fired from a point-blank range. Another policeman has sustained bullet injuries in the attack. A high alert has been sounded in the city and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have begun search operations in hospital premises.
The incident comes after an Army Captain and three jawans were killed in a ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Bhimber Gali sector of Rajouri district on Sunday afternoon.
National Conference leaders Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah have expressed grief and sorrow over the killing of two cops. Extending his condolence to the families of the slain cops, Omar said their sacrifice won’t go in vain.
Constable Babar Ahmad who was injured in the militant attack at hospital has succumbed to his injuries, confirmed police,
The injured constable is recuperating at the hospital (Express photo by Naveed Iqbal)
The attack took place in the OPD block A of the hospital.
When the policemen were escorting the priosners to the hsopital, they were attacked by the militants at point-blank range.
"This is a government which talked about showing 'laal aankh' to our enemies at the border. They boasted about the strategic surgical strikes. They are willing to take the credit when something good happens, but they remain silent when things are going badly.Indian lives are being lost, our citizens are in danger. They are suffering from these repeated ceasefire violations. But the tragedy is that our government is entirely absent without leave. Where are they?" asks Shashi Tharoor, reported ANI
There are reports that the militants also managed to decamp with the rifle of the injured policemen.
A high alert has been issued in Srinagar following the escape of the foreign militant. All the exit and entry points towards the hospital have been sealed.
"The police party was attacked by militants resulting in the injuries to two policemen. One militant managed to escape during the firing," a senior police officer said.