Kulgam: Cop, wanted terrorist, 3 civilians killed in terror attack

A policeman and a wanted terrorist of Lashker-e-Tayyaba group were among five persons killed when terrorists made an attempt to ambush a police party in Kulgam in South Kashmir on Saturday.

Wanted terrorist Fayaz Ahmed Ashwar alias Setha, who had been on the run since August 2015 after his name cropped up in the Udhampur terror strike case, was killed in the attack when he tried to target the police party at Mir Bazar in Kulgam.

Constable Mehmood Ahmed Sheikh, who was part of the police team, risked his life and snatched a pistol from one of the terrorists before other members of the police party opened fire at them, according to an eyewitness account.

Three civilians were also killed due to indiscriminate firing by the terrorists.

Director General of Police S P Vaid said that a policeman had been killed. And indiscriminate firing by terrorists had led to the death of three civilians.

The terrorists ambushed the police team which had gone to Mir Bazaar area to investigate a road accident case, the DGP said. The injured militant was taken to a local hospital where he was declared brought dead, police said.

He was later identified to be Ashwar, who carried a cash reward of Rs two lakh on his head.

He has been charge-sheeted by the National Investigation Agency in the Udhampur terror strike case. In the terror case, Pakistani national Naved was arrested on the spot when he was firing on a BSF convoy in August 2015 in Udhampur on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway.

Representative image. Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com