Kulgam cash van attack: Hizbul Mujahideen claims responsibility, denies killing bank employees

Kulgam: Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed the responsibility for the attack on a cash van in the Kulgam district on Jammu and Kashmir, in which five policemen and two bank employees were killed.

While taking responsibility for the attack, Hizbul spokesperson Burhanuddin claimed that his outfit did not kill the two bank employees, and they were instead shot dead by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who were accompanying them.

"We didn`t attack the vehicle with intent to loot the cash. We have enough cash. We condemn the killing of two bank employees and want to clarify that they were shot dead by CRPF personnel and not by militants," news agency ANI quoted Burhanuddin as saying.

Militants could never target innocent Kashmiris, he added.

The reactions from the Hizbul came a day after a group of heavily armed  militants opened fire at a cash delivery van of a bank in Jammu and Kashmir`s Kulgam, killing five police constables and two bank officials.

The cash van was attacked when it was returning after dispensing cash to local bank branches.

As per the reports, the deceased policemen were identified as assistant sub inspector Mohd. Yousaf, Farooq Ahmad, Ishfaq Ahmad, Mohammad Qasim and Muzaffar Ahmad.

The two security guards who were also killed were Javeed Reshi and Muzaffar Ahmed Laway.

With ANI inputs