Militants struck pre-dawn Tuesday storming a guardroom of a court complex here killing two policemen, police said, and fled with their two service rifles.
Another police guard was wounded in the attack.
A police official, speaking on condition of anonymity said heavily armed militants, believed to be three in number, attacked the three police guarding the Court Complex at Takiya Wagam on the edge of the Pulwama town.
“Two policemen were killed while another sustained severe injuries in the attack,” the police officer said, adding the attackers fled into darkness from the spot along with two service rifles of the slain policemen.
They were identified as Ghulam Rasool and Ghulam Mohammad, residents of Gagal Lolab – Kupwara and Wohlitra, Rafiabad – Baramullah respectively. The injured police guard, identified as Mansoor Ahmad was immediately rushed to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS), Srinagar for treatment.
Another police officer said the attackers managed to stealthily scale the compound wall of the Court Complex after pulling down razor wire coils fitted at its top.
“They entered straight into the guardroom and fired on the three policemen present there, killing two of them on the spot while inflicting injuries on another,” he said.
“The purpose behind the attack was rifle snatching.”
District police chief, Mohammad Aslam Choudary said police have registered a case and initiated investigations.
It was the third attempt at weapon snatching in the area in three weeks. The earlier two attempts — one in Said pora and one in New Colony, Pulwama — however, were foiled by the police.
Former chief minister and National Conference vice president took to twitter to condemn the killing of the policemen.
“And that too on the night of Sha-e- Qadar. The killers of these police personnel deserve nothing but the eternal flames of hell….”
Inspector general of police for Kashmir province, S P Pani led a wreath-laying ceremony for the slain policemen at District Police Lines Pulwma which was attended by officers from police as well as civil administration.
The bodies of the slain police men were later handed over to their families.