india

Updated: Jul 15, 2019 08:26 IST

A policeman guarding a National Conference (NC) leader was killed when suspected militants opened fire in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Sunday, the police said.

They said that Riyaz Ahmad, a personal security officer (PSO) of NC’s Syed Tawqeer Shah, was attacked when the leader was on a tour of Hiller in Anantnag to meet his party’s supporters.

“The leader was inside some resident’s house when gunmen opened fire on the policemen outside the premises,” said an official at Anantnag’s police control room.

Repeated calls to Shah went unanswered.

NC vice president and former chief minister, Omar Abdullah, said that Shah was the target of the militant attack. “My colleague from Kokernag in South Kashmir Judge (Retd) Tauqeer Sb was just attacked by militants. While he escaped unhurt his security officer was hit & killed in the line of duty. I unreservedly condemn this dastardly attack & convey my condolences to the family of the deceased,” he tweeted.

Abdullah said that Ahmad was posted with him for the last few years and was killed when three militants attacked a party convention.

A police spokesman said that Ahmad was fired upon by militants and he sustained critical injuries in the attack.

Ahmad, a selection grade constable and a resident of Pulwama district, was immediately rushed to nearby medical facility and then to district hospital Anantnag.

“The policeman has died,” said deputy inspector general of police, south Kashmir, Atul Kumar Goel.

Medical superintendent of the Anantnag hospital, Majid Mehrab, said that the policeman had a chest injury. “He was dead on arrival,” he said.

“Officers are investigating the circumstances of this terror crime,” the police spokesman said.

Earlier during the day, two people were injured in a mysterious blast in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, the police said.

They said that the blast occurred in Adigam village. “They have been evacuated to hospital and are undergoing treatment,” said the police spokesman. The spokesman did not clarify what kind of blast it was not or identity of the wounded persons.

“The police have registered a case and are investigating the circumstances which led to this blast,” the spokesman said.

On Friday, one person was injured in a blast at Zasoo area of Pulwama in south Kashmir. This year, 74 security force personnel have been killed in various attacks and gun battles with militants in Kashmir.