Sopore Attack: 4 Cops Suspended Over Failure To Stop Terror Attack At J&K Civic Body Office

Four cops have been suspended by Jammu and Kashmir Police over the failure to stop a terror attack at a local urban body meeting in Sopore on Monday.

Two councillors of the Sopore Municipal Council and a policeman died  in the terror attack. The J&K police admitted that it was due to a security lapse that the terrorists were able to carry out the gunfire.

"Policemen deployed there should have retaliated. Had they retaliated, both the terrorists would have been killed and the attack could have been stopped. It's a security lapse and we have suspended the cops," said Vijay Kumar, Inspector General, J&K police.

On Monday two terrorists barged into the civic body office and resorted to indiscriminate firing soon after the councillors gathered for the meeting.

After the attack, terrorists managed to escape. Police said four police guards were equipped with AK-47 rifles but none of them opened fire when the civic body office came under attack.

While one councilor - Reyaz Ahmad - and a policeman died on the spot, another councilor - Shamsudin Peer - was critically injured in the firing; he died at a hospital this morning, police said.

Mr Kumar said police could have made additional deployment at the municipal office if they were informed about the meeting.

"Chairman of council should have informed police so that we could have sent additional deployment at the venue" said Mr Kumar.

The attack on the civic body office was second major attack in five days in Kashmir. On Thursday, terrorist attacked a CRPF patrol at Lawaypora, on the outskirts of Srinagar. 

Two personnel were killed on the spot and another died due to injuries yesterday.