Terrorists storm cops' houses in south Kashmir

Terrorists on Thursday night stormed residences of some police officers in south Kashmir region, threatened family members, and ransacked their property before fleeing.

According to sources, they raided a senior police officer's house and threatened the family members with dire consequences.

Police sources said terrorists launched coordinated raids at residences of police officers in Kulgam and Pulwama districts. The raids started from Kulgam and spread to Pulwama villages where the attackers broke windows and glass panes apart from ransacking other property and household items. None of the police officers were home when the attacks were carried out.

The terrorists also torched a house at Buchroo village of Kulgam district.

SP Vaid, director general of police, Jammu and Kashmir, said, "They (terrorists) are frustrated because their support structure is being handled by Jammu and Kashmir police very effectively."

Meanwhile, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat reviewed the operational preparedness and the prevailing security situation in Jammu division.

This is not the first such instance in the Valley. In March, heavily armed militants stormed the residence of an assistant jail superintendent, threatened his family, abducted his son, and torched his vehicle in Budgam district. The son and his relative were later released 12 kilometre away from the spot.

Few days later militants barged into the house of a police officer in Shopian district of south Kashmir and opened fire. Ultras tried to ransack the property but the neighborhood came to the rescue of the family.

On his arrival, the Army Chief was briefed by general officer commanding of 16 corps Lt Gen A K Sharma about the preparedness in dealing with the emerging and dynamically changing security situation and the measures taken to thwart any misadventure by inimical forces.

Later General Rawat visited forward posts along the LoC in Rajouri where he was briefed in detail on the actions being undertaken to ensure a robust counter infiltration grid.

"General Bipin Rawat complimented the troops for their unflinching efforts and reiterated the need to remain ever prepared to counter the nefarious designs of the adversary", said Colonel NN Joshi, defence spokesman at Northern Command headquarters.