Srinagar: In a desperate move to dissuade locals from sharing information about their whereabouts to the security forces, terrorists active in the Kashmir valley on Friday killed three policemen, within hours after they were abducted from their homes in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
According to a senior police official, the bullet-riddled bodies of the martyred policemen were found by the locals in an apple orchard in a village in the morning.
Immediately after this development, the security forces launched a massive manhunt to identify and neutralise the terrorists responsible for the dastardly act.
The martyred policemen were identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchai, Nisar Ahmad Dhobi and Kuldeep Singh, said the police official.
It may be mentioned here that Hizbul Majihideen’s operation commander and A++ categpry terrorist, Riaz Naikoo had recently released an audio message, warning the policemen to quit their jobs or be prepared to face the consequences.
Besides, threat issue by terrorist Naikoo, some terrorists also made announcements from some mosques in Shopian, asking the policemen to quit their jobs or be prepared to face the music.
The police official said that four people, including a policeman’s brother, were abducted on Thursday night from their homes in Shopian which is known as terrorist hotbed in south Kashmir.
Though the terrorists killed the three abducted policemen, they released the fourth abducted person, a civilian who is now being questioned by the security forces to establish the identity of the terrorists responsible for the said act, said the police official.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Police tweeted: “We have lost three of our brave colleagues in a barbaric terror strike. Our tribute to the three martyred jawans. We condemn this inhuman act and assure that all the culprits shall be dealt under law.”
Reacting to the development, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed “outrage” and “shock” over the the killings and asserted that dialogue was the only way out of the ongoing cycle of violence in Kashmir.
“Three more policemen have lost their lives to terrorist bullets. Outrage, shock and condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims.
“Clearly, with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families, the Centre’s muscular policy is not working at all. Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now,” Mufti tweeted.