india

Updated: Feb 25, 2018 23:12 IST

Two policemen were killed in different attacks in Kashmir on Sunday, officials said, and in both the incidents, the assailants snatched the weapons of the policemen before escaping.

Constable Kultar Singh was killed when militants fired upon him outside the historic Chrar-e-Sharif shrine in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Sunday afternoon, police said.

Director general of state police, SP Vaid, tweeted: “Pained at the loss of a valued colleague SGCt Kultar Singh JKAP 13 Bn who attained martyrdom in an attack on J-K Police guard for protection of Chrar-e-Sharif shrine.”

The shrine is one of the most revered in Kashmir. Built as a homage to Sufi saint Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani, the shrine is said to be around 600 years old -- although the original was destroyed during a gunfight between militants and forces in 1995 and then rebuilt.

Singh’s last moments were captured in video which is now being circulated on social media, where he falls to the ground bleeding after telling the man holding the camera that he was shot twice and the two gunmen escaped after snatching his rifle. In the video locals are seen rushing for medical help after picking him up.

Police said constable Farooq Ahmed Yatoo was killed when militants fired on him in Soura locality of Srinagar.

Yatoo, a native of Chadoora area of Budgam district, was posted as a guard at the residence of separatist leader Fazal Haq Qureshi who had survived an attempt on his life in 2009.

Police did not say how many men were involved the attack on Ahmed.Following his killing the police chief took to Twitter once again to advice policemen to be more careful.

We have lost another precious life when Constable Farooq Ahmad was martyred today in Srinagar. Be more careful boys, it’s the proxy war that we are fighting in Jammu & Kashmir. — Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) February 25, 2018

Police said investigation into both the cases are on.