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Militants abduct, kill five policemen in Kashmir

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Militants killed five police personnel, including four special police officers. The militants had kidnapped the policemen from a post they manned at Chogal village in Kupwara district.

The police said a group of heavily armed militants wearing police uniforms attacked the police post on the Srinagar-Kupwara road near Handwara. When the policemen surrendered, the militants beat them up and stole their rifles and one self-loading rifle. They then took the policemen off and gunned them down at another village a few kilometres away. The bodies were recovered this morning.

Police sources said that another policeman, who heard the cries of the abducted cops, reached the post. He too was carried off, but was either freed by the militants or escaped.

Sources said the militants had enquired about two pro-government militants and a selection grade constable who, however, were not present at the time.

Police sources said the militants escaped and that there had been a delay in mounting search operations. Senior police officers visited the area this morning and reviewed the situation.

Meanwhile, late last night, militants shot at and critically wounded a policeman, Mohammad Arif, of the Shergari police station. Arif has been shifted to hospital.

This evening militants shot dead a pro-government militant at Khanyar in the city. Security forces moved into the area and were conducting searches, residents said.

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