Hizbul Mujahideen behind attacks on telecom employees in J-K

Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday said terror outfit Hizbul Mujhahideen was behind the recent string of attacks on mobile service providers in the Valley.

Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar, on the sidelines of a sports tournament here, told reporters that the banned terror outfit was behind the spate of attacks that left two persons dead.

“According to our information, it is Hizbul Mujhahideen. Undoubtedly it is their doing,” he said.

Suspected militants on Monday had shot dead an employee of a BSNL franchisee and injured two others in Sopore town.

The father of a sarpanch, who had a mobile transmission tower installed inside his residential compound, was on Tuesday shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Sopore town.

Meanwhile, the DGP said telecom services that were disrupted during the attacks would be restored soon.

“Yesterday we visited Sopore and had a meeting with our officers and other stakeholders, including the civilians, who have been calling us and saying they were facing difficulties. Their businesses have been affected and also the students studying outside were also facing difficulties contacting their families.

“There will be appropriate action in this. We have chalked out a strategy. It may take some time, but things will be restored back to normal,” he said.

“I want to assure you that we will restore the telecom services as soon as possible,” Kumar said.

Kumar said the police was investigating the matter and would ensure that the law shall prevail.

“Let me assure all of you... we will take action and we have taken action. We will ensure that the law shall prevail. We cannot allow this to continue further. We are investigating into the matter,” the DGP said.

Image: Jammu and Kashmir police personnel search for militants who attacked a BSNL telecome franchise at Sopore on Monday. Photograph: PTI