Srinagar, Dec 22: A civilian and a police officer of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) rank were killed in two separate attacks at Srinagar and Bijbehera area of Anantnag district on Wednesday, police said.

A police official said  that a civilian was shot dead outside his residential house at Merjanpora area of Nawakadal, Srinagar.

“The civilian identified as Rouf Ahmad Khan, son of Muhammad Shafi Khan of Merjanpora Nawa Kadal was fired upon by unidentified gunmen outside his home,” the official said, adding that he was immediately shifted to hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

Kashmir zone police tweeted: “Militants fired upon a #civilian namely Rouf Ahmad at Merjanpora, Eidgah PS Safakadal #Srinagar. The injured was shifted to SMHS hospital where he was declared dead. #Case registered, investigation going on. @JmuKmrPolice”

Barely within 30 minutes of the Srinagar attack, militants attacked and killed ASI of police in Bijbehera area of Anantnag district. An official said that an ASI of Jammu and Kashmir police was shot at by militants near SDH Bijbehara during evening hours. “He was shifted to hospital, where doctors declared him dead,” the official said.

They identified the slain as Muhammad Ashraf of Awantipora stating that he had received four bullet injuries. Kashmir zone police tweeted that “Militants fired indiscriminately & critically injured a police personnel ASI Mohd Ashraf of PS Bijbehara, #Anantnag. He has been shifted to #Srinagar based hospital for treatment. Area cordoned off. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice.” In another tweet, police said: “Injured ASI Mohd Ashraf #succumbed to his injuries. We stand by his family at this critical juncture.”

A police spokesman in a statement to KNO said that today during the evening hours, two incidents were reported from Srinagar and Anantnag, in which militants shot dead a civilian in Srinagar and a Police man in Anantnag. “At about 5:26 pm, Srinagar Police received information about an incident at Merjanpora Safakadal area of Srinagar. Officers attending the crime spot learnt that unidentified militants had fired upon a civilian identified as Rouf Ahmad Khan son of Mohd Shafi Khan resident of Merjanpora Safakadal near his house,” the spokesman said, adding, “He received grievous gunshot injuries in this terror incident and was immediately evacuated to nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.”

The police spokesman said that at about 6:10 pm, unidentified militants fired upon ASI Mohammad Ashraf son of Ghulam Mohammad Dar resident of Awantipora near Police Station Bijbehara, Anantnag. “In this crime incident, he received gunshot injuries and was immediately shifted to hospital for the treatment of his injuries, however he succumbed to his injuries and attained martyrdom,” the spokesman said. “We pay our rich tributes to the martyr who made supreme sacrifice in the line of duty and stand by his family at this critical juncture.”

The spokesman said that Police have registered cases regarding both the incidents. “Investigation is in progress and officers continue to work to establish the full circumstances leading to these crimes. The respective areas have been cordoned and search in these areas is going on,” the spokesman said.

J&K’s LG Manoj Sinha also tweeted and stated: “Deeply saddened by the barbaric and cowardly act in Srinagar and Anantnag. I strongly condemn this heinous attack on civilian Rouf Ahmad & JKP officer Mohd Ashraf. The militants and their handlers responsible for these killings will be brought to justice soon. Such barbaric act will not succeed in undermining J&K’s development journey. Deepest & heartfelt condolences to bereaved families. Govt stands with the families & friends at this difficult time.”