Civilian Dies in J&K Attack, 3-Yr-Old Grandson Sits Next to Body

In visuals that emerged after the attack, the boy was seen sitting on top of his grandfather

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Kashmir Zone Police)

The Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Wednesday, 1 July, that they rescued a three-year-old boy from getting hit by bullets during a terrorist attack in Sopore, in which one Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and a civilian were killed.

In visuals that emerged after the attack, the boy was seen sitting on top of his grandfather, the civilian who was killed in the incident. Later, the police took him to his mother.

According to reports, the grandfather and the child were travelling in a car from Srinagar to Handwara when the attack took place.

SHO Sopore Azim Khan was quoted by ANI as saying, "When we reached the site, what we saw was disturbing. Our priority was to evacuate the child. It was very challenging as terrorists were firing upon us. The child was going to Handwara with his grandfather."

In another video posted by a police officer, Khan said, "The firing happened from the upper story.... In the firing, a CRPF jawan was martyred. Our aim was to block the view in order to rescue the child."

Three other security force personnel were also injured in the attack wherein the terrorists fired upon a CRPF patrolling party and escaped.

“A civilian vehicle coming from Sopore to Kupwara was caught in firing range of terrorists. An old man who was driving stopped the car and got down to move away for a safe spot but got killed by terrorists’ firing. Later, a young boy was rescued by security forces.”

CRPF

Earlier, the CRPF had said that two jawans were in critical condition, while one had suffered minor injuries.

What Has the Family Said?

The son of the deceased told the media that his father had left at 6 in the morning for work. “... In Sopore... the firing started and the CRPF retaliated. And he was killed. He was going for his work, and when the encounter took place, he was taken out of his car and fired upon," he said.

“He was brought down from the car and shot dead. This is tyranny. I want justice. They have snatched my father.”

Daughter of the deceased

“They killed him and then kept his three-year-old grandson on his body. The child’s clothes are soaked with his grandfather’s blood. He was not a militant. He was a petty employee.”

Wife of the deceased

The incident comes days after a CRPF jawan and a child were killed on 26 June in an attack by terrorists in J&K's Anantnag. The terrorists attacked a CRPF party deployed in highway security in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district.

"Terrorists came on a motorcycle and opened fire. We have identified the attacker. He is a local terrorist of Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir. He fired from a pistol, killing the CRPF jawan and a six-year-old child," Vijay Kumar, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, had reportedly said of the incident earlier.

(With inputs from Jehangir Ali, ANI and NDTV.)