J&K: Another policeman shot dead by suspected militants outside his house in Tral

Srinagar: A Special Police Officer (SPO) of Jammu and Kashmir police was shot dead by suspected militants outside his house in Tral area of southern Pulwama district on Wednesday.

The police said the gunmen fired at SPO Haleem Gujjar from point blank range in Gutroo village of Tral at 5:45 pm, he died on the spot. 

The police with Army has launched a search operation in the area for the assailants. No militant outfit has, so far, claimed responsibility to killing the SPO.

Read: School teacher found dead with throat slit in J&K's Shopian

On October 1, a J&K police head-constable Ashiq Hussain was shot dead by two gunmen at a marriage ceremony in Pulwama’s Padgampora village. The victim, working as ‘munshi’ at Pulwama’s Awantipora police station, was on leave to attend the marriage of a close relative when targeted.

A week before it, a Border Security Force (BSF) official Muhammad Ramzan Parray was killed and four of his family members were injured in a militant attack in Hajin area of northern Bandipore district. Parray, an official of the BSF’s 73rd Battalion, was posted in Singhpora area of neighbouring Baramulla district and had come home on holiday a few days ago when the militants attacked him with a knife before shooting him dead. His father Ghulam Ahmad Parray, brothers Muhammad Afzal and Javaid Ahmed and paternal aunt Habla Begum were injured in the attack.

Read: 1 jawan killed as terrorists attack BSF camp near Srinagar airport

On June 15, a J&K policeman Shabir Ahmed Dar was shot dead from point blank range by assailants in Bogund village of southern Kulgam district.

On May 9, Ummer Fayaz Parray, a 22-year-old officer with Army’s 2 Rajputana Rifles was also on leave when abducted by two masked gunmen from the wedding of his (maternal) cousin in Batpora village of Kulgam district. Next morning, his bullet-riddled corpse was found in Harmain area of neighbouring Shopian district.

Read: J&K: Terrorist killed, policeman, CRPF jawan martyred in Pulwama

In March and April, 2017, the Valley had witnessed a series of militant attacks at policemen and their families following which the police department had issued an advisory asking its field personnel to avoid visiting their homes “for the next few months”. It had while referring to the “unfortunate” incidents wherein “militants and anti-national and anti-social elements have caused damage to the life and property of police personnel”, asked them to exercise extreme caution while visiting their homes.

Read: J&K: Army major, jawan killed in gunfight with militants in Shopian

“They should preferably avoid visiting their homes for the next few months as their personal security is of paramount importance," the advisory had said. It also asked all the heads of various formations to brief their officers and men regarding the threat so the life and property of police personnel were secured.