SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Suspected militants shot dead a policeman on Thursday in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.
The policeman was killed in the evening at village Bogund in Kulgam district, about 63 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
"This evening we received a body of young man namely Shabir Ahmad Dar in the hospital," R D Kasana, medical superintendent at Kulgam district hospital, told Xinhua, adding "he was brought dead and his body had multiple bullet wounds."
According to the police, the policeman was fired upon in his village.
Locals said Dar was at home on a holiday.
"He was fired on the road outside his house," Tariq Ahmad, a local man, said, adding "soon after people heard the sound of bullets, they came rushing and found Dar in a pool of blood. Though he was removed to district hospital, however, doctors there declared him dead."
So far no militant outfit has claimed responsibility of the attack.
There has been an increase in militant attacks in districts south of Srinagar.
On Tuesday militants carried out multiple attacks on police and paramilitary in the region, wounding 14 personnel, including 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men. Militants also barged inside house of a retired high court judge in Anantnag and snatched four rifles from the policemen deployed there.
Police say militants in the region have been targeting policemen guarding houses of politicians and other protected people to snatch rifles, in wake of a weapons shortage within the militant ranks.
A separatist movement and guerrilla war challenging New Delhi's rule has been going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989.
Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
