A Jammu and Kashmir Police constable was killed after terrorists opened fire on him in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Wednesday, marking the first major militant attack during this year's Amarnath Yatra and ending a prolonged spell of relative calm in the Valley.
The attack took place around 12:30 pm on the Anantnag-Kokernag road when the policeman, identified as Ashiq Hussain of Budgam district, was deployed for security duties related to the annual pilgrimage.
According to officials, terrorists fired at him, leaving him critically injured.
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He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries despite medical efforts.
Security forces swiftly rushed reinforcements to the area and launched a massive search operation to track down the attackers.
Additional deployments have been made along the route as authorities intensified anti-terror operations following the incident.
The attack comes at a time when the Kashmir Valley has witnessed heightened security arrangements for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, with multiple layers of surveillance and deployment of security personnel across both pilgrimage routes.
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The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha earlier announced that this year's pilgrimage had achieved a historic milestone, with more than three lakh devotees offering prayers at the holy cave shrine within just 12 days of the yatra.
The 57-day Shri Amarnath Yatra began on July 3 and will conclude on August 28. Pilgrims are travelling through the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in south Kashmir and the shorter 14-km Baltal route in central Kashmir, both of which remain under an extensive security cover to ensure the smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage.
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