Sneak attack was carried out hours after security forces had gunned down top commander of Hib-ul-Mujahideen and his accomplice in Anantnag.
Srinagar: Four policemen were killed in militant ambush in Jammu and Kashmir’s southern Shopian district on Wednesday afternoon.
The sneak attack was carried out hours after the security forces had gunned down a top commander of Hib-ul-Mujahideen and his accomplice in neighbouring Anantnag district.
The police said that the militants targeted the escort vehicle of Deputy Superintendent of Police (headquarters), Shopian with their AK 47 assault rifles in the district’s Bongam area.
Four policemen on board the vehicle were injured. They were rushed to a nearby hospital where all of them succumbed, the officials said.
The slain policemen have been identified as Javed Ahmed, Muhammad Iqbal, Adil Ahmed and Ishfaq Ahmed.
A report said that the assailants decamped with the service weapons of the policemen and then disappeared in the neighbourhood.
The police sources said that the escort party had gone to the area to get a police vehicle repaired at a local motor workshop.
A massive search operation has been launched by the security forces in the area to catch the assailants dead of alive.
The attack came hours after the security forces had killed two Hizb militants including its senior commander Altaf Ahmed Dar alias Altaf Kachroo alias Moeen during a gunfight in Muniward village of neighbouring Anantnag.
The killing of militant duo sparked off massive protests during which clashes erupted between the security forces and surging crowds in several areas of Anantnag and Kulgam districts.
In view of growing tensions and street protests, the authorities suspended train services and also withdrew internet facilities in the twin districts.