http://indianexpress.com/article/in...last-killed-injured-baramulla-sopore-5013670/
Written by
Bashaarat Masood | Sopore | Updated: January 6, 2018 4:47 pm
There was heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces in the town at the time of the incident, to maintain normalcy and prevent any protests. (Express Photo)
Four policemen were killed in a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exposion on Saturday, which had been planted by suspected militants, in Sopore, Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The explosion took place at Gole Market, where separatists were observing a bandh. There was heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces in the town at the time of the incident, to maintain normalcy and prevent any protests.
According to sources, militants had planted the bomb inside the market after sensing heavy presence of forces today. The wreath laying ceremony for the victims will be held today.
J-K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti took to Twitter to condemn the incident. “Pained to hear that four policeman have been killed in an IED explosion in Sopore,” she tweeted. ”My deepest condolences to their families.”
Separatists are observing a shutdown in Sopore today, to protest the killing of over 50 civilians on this day in 1993.
On January 6, 1993, militants had shot dead a BSF jawan of 94th Battalion, Border Security Force (BSF)and snatched his rifle in Sopore town. later shot dead 50 persons and set 300 shops afire.
In the incident more than 500 shops and nearly 25 houses were also destroyed in the fire. The incident was preceded by an alleged militant attack on a BSF patrol in the town on the same day, in which a jawan was killed.
The locals had registered an FIR , alleging that unidentified militants, who were hiding in houses, had opened fire on troops and the forces retaliated in self-defence. The investigation into the case was handed over to the CBI. It filed a closure report in the case after more than 20 years. The survivors later filed a protest petition in the court and demanded an investigation into the case.
Srinagar, January 5
Twenty years after the Sopore ‘massacre’, which left nearly 50 civilians dead, residents of the apple town are still waiting for the justice. “Whenever we remember what happened on January 6, 1993, it sends shivers down to our spines,” said Sopore Traders Federation president Mohammad Ashraf Ganai, who himself had a narrow escape on that day.
During the Winter Session of Parliament, the government had stated that there were 341 terror incidents in the state between November 1, 2016 and October 31, 2017. There were 311 incidents in the same period the previous year. Mos (Home) Hansraj Ahir had said the overall security situation in J&K has improved, and attributed it to demonetisation.
The powerful IED explosion ripped through the Sopore market area, which was immediately cordoned off, police said.(ANI Photo)
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...ir-s-sopore/story-376b4oVCaMuPVbeflpZgHM.html
Four policemen were killed in a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast Sopore town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Saturday.
“There was deployment in the run up to Republic Day on 26th January when there was a strong explosion around 10.20 am. Three policemen were killed on the spot,” deputy inspector general of police (North Kashmir) V K Birdi told Hindustan Times. A fourth policeman injured in the explosion died later.
According to reports three shops were also damaged in the blast at Gole market Sopore as the IED was planted near a shop.
Three of the slain policemen were assistant sub inspector Irshad Ahmad from Doda, Muhammad Amin from Kupwara and Ghulam Nabi from Sopore.
Pakistan based Militant outfit claimed responsibility for the blast .
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The panel stressed on the need for better coordination mechanism between the military wings and security forces guarding the border. (AFP FILE PHOTO/REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)
