A day ahead of the Independence Day, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants killed two Jammu and Kashmir policemen and injured another in indiscriminate firing in Nowgam area of the city here on Friday, police said.
After the attack, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said Pakistan and its proxies cannot tolerate the peaceful atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir.
A police spokesperson said the militants fired indiscriminately on a joint naka party of police and security forces at Gulshan Nagar area of Nowgam on the outskirts of Srinagar city this morning.
In the incident, three police personnel sustained grievous gunshot injuries and were evacuated to a hospital for treatment. However, two injured, identified as Fayaz Ahmad and Ishfaq Ayoub of IRP 20th Battalion, succumbed, the spokesperson said.
The third policeman is being treated at the hospital.
The spokesperson said police have registered a case under relevant sections of the law and investigation is underway.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said the JeM carried out the attack and they have been identified.
"They fired indiscriminately and two of our jawans were martyred...We have identified them, they belong to the JeM group. We will neutralise them soon," Kumar told reporters near the site of the attack.
Asked whether there were any inputs about a militant attack on the eve of the Independence Day, the IGP said the police recieves such inputs every year.
"We have such inputs every year before August 15 and January 26. We had inputs that they will try (an attack) in some area. The boys were alert and prepared, but they (the militants) came from the rear side and fired on them. We have cordoned off the area and searches are on.
"This is a narrow lane and there was civilian movement and if our boys would have retaliated, there would have been loss of civilian lives, so they exercised restraint," Kumar said.
Later, a wreath-laying ceremony was held in the Armed Police Complex Humhama for jawans, where floral tributes were paid to them, the spokesperson said.
R R Bhatnagar, advisor to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, led civil and police officers in paying tributes and laying floral wreaths on the mortal remains, he said.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ceremony, Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh said Pakistan and its proxies cannot tolerate the peaceful atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir.
Singh, however, asserted that the efforts to strengthen peace in the union territory would continue.
"We are all aware of the situation in Kashmir where terrorists regularly try to target civilians, police and forces and sometimes they succeed, but at the same time, the police and forces keep on taking actions to improve the situation," he said.
"We will intensify the (anti-militancy) operations in the coming days, but such incidents take place because Pakistan and its proxies cannot tolerate the peaceful atmosphere here. Such conspiracies are hatched from across the border and they try to create hurdles in the way to peace. However, I am confident that our efforts to strengthen peace will continue," the DGP added.
