Anantnag: A CRPF personnel and a minor boy were killed when militants attacked a security forces team in Anantnag district south Kashmir on Friday, police said.
The militants fired upon a road opening party of the CRPF 90 battalion near Padshahi Bagh bridge in the Bijbehara area of the south Kashmir district around 12 noon, a police official said.
Sources said that a CRPF personnel and five and a half year boy were injured in the attack.
The injured were taken to a hospital in Bijbehara where both of them succumbed, the official said.
The CRPF personnel has been identified as constable Shamal Kumar, while the boy has been identified as Nihan Yawar, a resident of Yaripora area of the neighbouring Kulgam district, he said.
Later in the day, police said it has identified the militant behind the attack on a security, in which a CRPF man and a minor boy were killed.
The militant been identified as Zahid Daas and belongs to the Jammu Kashmir Islamic State (JKIS) outfit, police said.
“#Police has identified #killer of minor boy and CRPF personnel. Zahid Daas , a #terrorist of JKIS outfit, is found to be involved in today’s attack at #Bijbehara. Police have registered FIR against him by name,” the Kashmir zone police said in a tweet.
The Peoples Conference, National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party have condemned the minor boy’s killing.
“We strongly condemn the dastardly attack resulting in loss of a 4 year old boy in Bijbehara. Our thoughts & prayers are with his loved ones, who must be suffering from unimaginable pain & loss, in this difficult hour. Admin must provide all sort of assistance to the family,” PC spokesman tweeted.
“An innocent six year old boy is the latest victim of the violence in Kashmir. His death in a dastardly grenade attack by militants is tragic & condemned without reservation. May Allah grant him Jannat & his family strength at this difficult time (sic),” NC vice-president Omar Abdullah wrote on Twitter.
The PDP said civilians continue to pay the price for “policies of war, violence and escalation”.
“Unequivocally condemn the killing of a four year old toddler in Bijbehara today. Civilians continue to pay the price for policies of war, violence and escalation advocated by destructive elements. Our hearts bleed for Nihaan’s family. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” the party said in a tweet.
What family says…
Bijbehara: The family members of Nihaan were desperately waiting to see the end of Covid-19 pandemic to admit their lone son in a reputed school. Little did they know that the wheel of fate would catapult in a way that they would have to mourn the death of their only hope before his admission in any of the schools.
Muhammad Yaseen Bhat, a physical education teacher at a school in Bijbeheara in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, took his son Nihaan to market to buy clothes for him.
“I was in the market, and all of a sudden there was heavy firing. Everybody ran for cover, so did we.
“My son couldn’t run, when I looked at him, I saw blood oozing from his right shoulder. I opened his shirt, I found he was hit by a bullet,” Bhat told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) in a broken voice, adding that “I cried for help, and somehow managed to take my son to sub district hospital Bijbehera, where doctors declared him dead.”
He said one bullet snatched his entire world. “Nihaan was my only son among three siblings. I have two daughters. He was my world, I lost my everything today,” said Bhat.
The little Nihaan was laid to rest in his native village Munchew at around 4 Pm amid sobs and tears.
