Jammu and Kashmir Police names 24 terrorists for cops’ killing

Jammu and Kashmir police have achieved a major breakthrough after they identified 24 terrorists involved in the abduction and killing of three policemen in south Kashmir on Friday morning.

Police have named 24 terrorists in the First Information Report (FIR). Hizbul Mujahideen chief operations commander Riyaz Naikoo has been named as the mastermind of the abductions and killing of three cops at Kapran and Batagund villages of Shopian districts.

"Police Station Shopian received information through reliable sources that at the behest of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo, some active terrorists, armed with illegal arms and ammunition, entered houses of four cops in Kapran and Batagund. They kidnapped three cops and a relative of another with an intention to kill them. While the civilian was released after a while, three cops were shot dead by the terrorists," said the FIR accessed by DNA.

On Friday morning terrorists, in a rerun to Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz case, raided the residences of policemen and abducted three of them before shooting them down in Shopian district. Firdous Ahmad Kuchey, Kulwant Singh and Nisar Ahmad Dhobi were taken to Lamni-Wangam village adjacent to Kapran where they were shot dead.

Police said the act was aimed at intimidating the police and their family members so as to keep them away from their duties.

Security forces on Saturday launched a massive cordon and search operation in more than eight villages of Pulwama district to look for the terrorists, who are on the run.

Additional Director General of Police, Security, Law and Order, Munir Ahmad Khan said they are working on the case (of cop killing). "Even 24 hours have not passed. But we are working on the case", he told DNA.

Notification Issued For Phase-3 Polls

• Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir Shaleen Kabra on Saturday issued notification for the conduct of third phase of Municipal polls in the state.
• The notification has been issued for various wards of the municipal bodies across the state which are slated to go to the polls in the third phase on October 13.
• The last date for filing nominations is September 29. Last date for withdrawal of candidature is October 3 and the counting of votes will be done on October 20.