Unidentified terrorists on Saturday shot dead a 29-year-old special police officer (SPO) and injured his brother in another targeted attack on security personnel in Kashmir, officials familiar with the matter said.
The unidentified gunmen opened fire at SPO Ishfaq Ahmad when he was at his residence in the Valley’s Budgam district, the officials added.
“SPO Ishfaq Ahmad and his brother Umar Jan, a student, were fired upon by terrorists at their residence in village Chadbugh area of Budgam. Ahmad later succumbed to injuries,” a police spokesperson said on condition of anonymity. In the attack, Jan sustained two bullet injuries and is undergoing treatment at Srinagar’s SKIMS hospital, officials said.
Security forces have cordoned off the area and are carrying out search operations, they added.
The attack comes against the backdrop of an increase in targeted killings in the region. On March 2, terrorists killed an independent panchayat member, Mohammad Yaqub Dar, in Srandoo area of Kulgam district.
A week later, an independent sarpanch, Sameer Bhat, was shot dead on the outskirts of Srinagar. Two days later, Shabir Ahmad Mir, a sarpanch from south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, was also gunned down. The terrorists have also attacked off-duty personnel, killing CRPF soldier Mukhtar Ahmad Dohi and army jawan Sameer Ahmad Malla this month.
{{/usCountry}}A week later, an independent sarpanch, Sameer Bhat, was shot dead on the outskirts of Srinagar. Two days later, Shabir Ahmad Mir, a sarpanch from south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, was also gunned down. The terrorists have also attacked off-duty personnel, killing CRPF soldier Mukhtar Ahmad Dohi and army jawan Sameer Ahmad Malla this month.
{{/usCountry}}Political leaders condemned the attack on Ahmad.
“Very sorry to hear about the death of SPO Ishfaq Ahmed... I unequivocally condemn this attack & pray that Ishfaq finds a place in Jannat & Umar makes a full recovery swiftly,” tweeted former CM, Omar Abdullah. Peoples Conference termed the SPO’s killing as barbaric. “And this day too ended with killing of an SPO in Budgam. How barbaric & inhumanely the terror is wiping our younger generation..,” it tweeted.