Gunmen kill two bank guards in Shopian
Shopian: Two private bank guards were killed after gunmen attacked a cash van of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in South Kashmir’s Shopian district on Monday afternoon.
Reports said that the gunmen attacked the cash van, a Scorpio vehicle bearing Registration No JK01M- 3941, in Kralcheck area of Keller tehsil of South Kashmir’s Shopian injuring two security guards critically. The driver of the vehicle is also being treated at a local hospital, however, doctors attending on him said that he is stable.
The injured were identified as Tariq Ahmad and Mushtaq Ahmad.
Witnesses said that the gunmen who were more than three in number attacked the vehicle near Kralchek village. The volley of bullets left the driver confused and in a moment he lost the control of the vehicle.
Police sources said that the vehicle overturned owing to the impact of the gunfire, which also led to critical injuries to the two security guards.
Police sources said that the gunmen targeted the vehicle with an intention to loot the cash that was being ferried in the vehicle.
“The vehicle was returning back from Keller areas and all the cash that was present in the cash vests was disbursed among the branches in the area and the vehicle was not carrying any cash,” a police official said.
Meanwhile, the slain security guards, Tariq Ahmed son of Mohammad Anwar is a resident of Zasow village of Lassipora area of Pulwama district and Mushtaq from Khondoora village of Achabal area of Anantnag District.
Both were shifted to district to district hospital Pulwama where doctors declared them brought dead.
Reports said that both were working for a private security firm and belonged to poor families.
Sources added that one of the slain guards, Tariq Ahmad, had purchased his own gun for Rs 80,000 just before two months before to get the job of a bank guard.
“Owning a gun helps private security guards get a better wage package,” said an official of a private security firm
Tariq, who lost his life has left his aged parents, two unmarried sisters and a younger brother (15) behind him.
Another guard Mushtaq Ahmad Shah son of Mohammad Ismail Shah has also left his aged parents behind. Mushtaq’s brother works in the Jammu and Kashmir Police Department.
Notably, soon after the attack, the area was cordoned off and nakas were laid at main crossings.
A similar incident had occurred on May 1, when militants killed five policemen and two bank guards during an attack on a cash van at Phambai in Kulgam district.
Meanwhile, a police spokesman said that suspected gunmen fired upon a J&K Bank Scorpio vehicle bearing registration number JK01M-4631which was on way from Keller to Pulwama at Puju Kral Check, Shopian. Two security guards of J&K Bank identified as Tariq Ahmad resident of Tumlehall Pulwama and Mushtaq Ahmad resident of Anantnag were injured in this attack.
Both the injured were shifted to District Hospital Pulwama for treatment where they succumbed to their injuries. The bodies of both the deceased were handed over to their next of kins for last rites, the spokesman added.
KV Correspondent
