Srinagar police bus attack: Attackers believed to have fled to Tral, will track them down soon, says IGP

Srinagar: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir range Vijay Kumar said that three militants of Jaish-e-Muhammad including two foreigners and a local carried out Zewan attack in which three police men were killed and 11 others injured. He said the blood trail of one of the injured militant suggests that the group first fled to Pampore and then to the Tral area of Pulwama while the police team is working to track down the group.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a wreath laying ceremony of slain cops in Srinagar, the IGP Kashmir said that the bus ferrying 25 policemen of ARP 9 battalion from Srinagar to police armed complex Zewan was attacked at 6 pm by three JeM militants including two foreigners and a local.

“The police men retaliated and didn’t allow militants to snatch weapons. Yesterday evening, two policemen including an ASI succumbed at the hospital and today morning one more policeman succumbed taking the total number of casualties in the attack to three,” the IGP. 

Asked whether it was a planned attack, he said that indeed it was a planned one as the militants fired indiscriminately at the bus that plies everyday on the same route. About the measures taken by police to prevent such attacks, IGP said police are maintaining high alert and cops requiring travel from one place to another will be provided bullet proof vehicles. “The attackers had done recce or the area and the attack took place when Road Opening Parties of security forces were withdrawn,” he said.

To query whether there were any leads about the attackers, he said JeM has already claimed responsibility. “As I told you already that one of the three militants had sustained injuries in retaliation by our men, his blood trail was found in Khrew, Pampore wherefrom the group is believed to have fled to Tral. We have other leads as well and will track down the group soon,” the IGP said.