J&K Special Police Officer, wife shot dead by terrorists in Pulwama, incident triggers massive protests against Pakistan

Srinagar: Some unidentified terrorists shot dead a special police officer, his wife and daughter in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, officials said on Monday. The terrorists barged into the house of SPO Fayaz Ahmad at Hariparigam in Awantipora area at around 11 PM on Sunday and opened fire on the family, the officials said on Monday.

The injured were rushed to a hospital where the SPO succumbed. His wife Raja Begum and daughter Rafia also died later on. SPO Fayaz Ahmad and his wife who were killed at their home in Hariparigam village in Pulwama district were laid to rest in their village.

Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to track down the assailants but no arrests have been made so far, the officials said.

The SPO's killing has triggered massive protests against Pakistan in the area. Mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have condemned the killing of a special police officer (SPO), his wife and daughter in Pulwama district, calling it "dastardly and cowardly" and a "form of terrorism".

"I unreservedly condemn the dastardly and cowardly militant attack on the J&K police SPO Fayaz Ahmed, his wife and his young daughter at their home last night. I pray they receive their place in Jannat and their loved ones find strength during this terrible time," National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah wrote on Twitter.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said no words were strong enough to condemn the cowardly attack.

Terrorists have intensified attacks on cops and security forces. While an inspector and a constable were killed in the Nowgam and Eidgah areas of Srinagar last week, a civilian died in a grenade attack on security forces at Barbarshah in the heart of the city.