‘Big loss for police: IGP
Srinagar, Oct 7: In an audacious attack, militants emerged in front of a branded private vehicle and showered a volley of bullets upon a police officer present in it, killing a tech savvy cop of Special Investigating Team of Jammu Kashmir Police in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Wednesday.
Police sources told CNS that Sub-Inspector Altaf Ahmed alias Altaf Laptop was tracking the movements of LeT militant Abu Qasim from couple of days. In a bid to nab him Station House Officer Bandipora and DySP Operations had laid a naka near Bandipora town. “Altaf was following Tata Mobile (JK05E-1096) used by militants and was sure that it would be intercepted at naka and the LeT top militant would be arrested. However, near Dachina village of the district, barely 4 kilometers away from Bandipora, the Tata Mobile over took his white colour private ETIOS car. Tata Mobile halted in front of the car and the militants came down from it and resorted to indiscriminate firing. Altaf fired few shots from his pistol but was seriously injured,” reliable sources informed CNS.
The injured police officer was immediately airlifted to Badamibagh based 92 Base Army hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. A police official identified the slain cop as Altaf Ahmed Dar a resident of Zangalpora Kulgam.
Reports said that soon after the incident, SOG and Army teams from 13 RR cordoned off Argam, Chitaybandey and other villages and launched a massive search operation to trace the militants. “Chopper was used to track the movement of militants. Reinforcements were rushed to the spot to ensure that the militants responsible for the attack are prevented from escaping,” said a police official.
IGP Kashmir Syed Javaid Mujtaba Geelani said that the slain police officer was an asset to the department. “Altaf had done a tremendous job on anti-terrorism front. It is really a big loss for us,” he said.
Altaf according to locals of his native village was known by multiple names. “He was called Altaf Computer, Altaf South, Altaf Laptop and Altaf SIT. He was a computer expert who tracked militant activities,” said a local of Zangalpora Kulgam to CNS. The slain cop Altaf Dar son of Bashir Ahmed Dar is survived by his wife and two little kids.
Meanwhile, a wreath laying ceremony was observed in the honour of the slain cop. Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Director General of Police K.Rajendra, IGP Javaid Mujtaba Geelani and other police and civil officials paid floral tributes to the deceased cop. (CNS)
