Militants fatally shoot policemen in poll-bound Anantnag

Militants today shot dead two policemen, including an officer, in poll-bound Anantnag town of south Kashmir, police said.

Militants opened fire on a police party at General Bus Stand in Anantnag town, 52 kms from here, at around 11:20 AM, resulting in injuries to the two policemen, a police official said.

He said the injured policemen were rushed to a hospital where both of them succumbed.

The deceased have been identified as Assistant Sub Inspector Bashir Ahmad and Constable Reyaz Ahmad.

The attack comes ahead of the June 22 polling for a by-election to Anantnag Assembly seat where Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is one of the nine candidates in the fray.

The by-poll for the seat was necessitated due to death of then chief minister and incumbent MLA Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7 this year.

This is the second attack in less than 24 hours in the district.

Three BSF jawans were killed and nine others injured last evening as militants ambushed their convoy at Goriwan in Bijbehara town.

Security forces have been put on an alert to track down the assailants, the official said.