Militant under custody killed in Tral grenade blast; He tried to flee wearing a burka, says Police

Srinagar, Feb 26: A militant was killed and a policeman sustained injuries on Monday after militants lobbed a grenade at a police station in Tral, police said.
According to the official spokesperson of the police, at 12:30 PM, the militant Mushtaq Chopan, who was in custody of Police Station Tral, “tried to escape from the police station wearing female burka”.
“When he was near the main gate, someone from outside lobbed a grenade as a part of the planned conspiracy to divert the attention so that he could escape conveniently. The grenade exploded inside the station nearby Chopan resulting into his death and injury to one Constable Mehraj-ud-din,” the police spokesman claimed.
The spokesperson said the injured police constable was shifted to Army hospital, whereas the dead body of the detainee is being taken for autopsy.
“Magisterial enquiry has been initiated under section 176 CrPC. The circumstances under which he was escaping are being looked into. Mushtaq Chopan was involved in FIR No 55/2017 under section 18, 20,38 ULAP of P/S Tral, FIR No 76/2017 under section 302 RPC, 7/27 Arms Act, 18,20 ULAP of P/S Tral,” he said.
Chopan was apprehended by Sopore police and was involved in FIR: 10 / 2018 under section 7/27 Arms Act.
“The said militant was currently on custody change as he was wanted by Awantipora police,” the spokesperson said.
SP Awantipora, M Zahid told The Kashmir Monitor that they are investigating, how come the deceased militant got hold of a burka while being in custody.
“We can’t say anything further on it, we are investigating the case,” he said.
Soon after the death of the militants, massive clashes erupted in his native village.
Reports said that youth pelted forces with stones as soon as the news of Chopan’s killing reached the village.
However, police resorted to aerial firing and teargas shelling to disperse the youth.
No one was injured in the clashes, reports said.
Later in the evening, hundreds of people participated in the funeral prayers of the slain militant.
Amid massive protests, funeral prayers were held for Chopan alias Haroon at his native village in Wagad hamlet of Aripal tehsil in Tral sub-district
A local said the two masked militants also appeared in the gathering and fired many rounds in the air to offer gun salute to their slain colleague.