Militants frustrated by peace in Valley, killing of their commanders, says IGP

In the backdrop of the murders of a police constable and a migrant labourer in Kulgam district on Friday night, police said these onslaughts showed the frustration of militants due to the peace in Kashmir and killing of top militant commanders

In the backdrop of the murders of a police constable and a migrant labourer in Kulgam district on Friday night, police said these onslaughts showed the frustration of militants due to the peace in Kashmir and killing of top militant commanders.

Security personnel lay a cordon near the encounter site at Noorbagh in Srinagar on Saturday. (ANI)

Within a span of four hours, militants first shot dead constable Bantu Ji Sharma at Wanpoh and then killed a labourer, identified as Shankar Kumar Chowdhary of Preetnagar Kathiyar, Bihar, at Nehama, Kulgam.

While no group has claimed responsibility yet, some police officials believe these were the handiwork of The Resistant Front, a shadow outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Kashmir inspector general of police (IGP) Vijay Kumar said terrorists and their handlers in Pakistan were frustrated with recent elimination of top commanders of terrorist outfits, and peaceful environment maintained even after the death of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

“That’s why terrorists have killed cowardly one unarmed policeman (probationary sub-inspector) recently, one unarmed policeman and one innocent labourer in Kulgam district,” he added.

On Saturday, a wreath-laying ceremony in memory of constable Sharma was held at the District Police Lines in Kulgam.