Hizbul Mujahideen claims responsibility for Kulgam attack

Srinagar: Militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) has claimed responsibility for the attack on Jammu and Kashmir Bank cash van in Kulgam district in which five policemen and two bank employees were killed yesterday. Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Range, has said the militants involved in the attack have been identified during preliminary investigation by the police.

A spokesman for the HM told local media that militants of the outfit carried out the attack on security forces in the van. However, he said the attack was not to loot money as the outfit has enough and also that the militants had not killed the two bank employees. Preliminary investigation reveal that a local militant Omar Majeed and two of his associates were involved in the killing, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Range, had told the mediapersons after paying tributes to police martyrs at Kulgam along with other senior police and civil officers last evening.

He said at about 1615 hrs, a group of militants stopped a cash van of Jammu and Kashmir Bank and killed five policemen and two civilians, travelling in it. He said militants also took away four weapons of the policemen. Police have already started investigation.

During the past six months, militants have looted about a dozen banks and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in South Kashmir. However, recently security forces foiled a similar bank robbery last week in south Kashmir district of Anantnag when a gunman was overpowered while another managed to escape after injuring a CRPF jawan. (UNI)