Policemen held in captivity after altercation handed over in J-K

Angry residents of Panzgam Village in Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara District handed over two policemen held as hostages to the authorities.

Panzgam (Jammu and Kashmir), Dec 17 : Angry residents of Panzgam Village in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara District handed over two policemen held as hostages to the authorities.

The villagers captured the two policemen belonging to the Special Operation Group on Saturday after they allegedly shot a villager dead.

Over the past month, a number of houses and cattle sheds in the locality were set ablaze by unidentified persons.

Villagers said one person died on Saturday when the policemen opened fire on them when they surrounded their vehicle.

"According to villagers, one police personnel was trying to set a hay stack on fire. Villagers were standing around the vehicle, which had two personnel in it. As the people tried to take stock of the situation, the police personnel opened fire at them leaving one Ghulam Mohammad Lone, son of Mukt Lone dead, and one mason, Mushtaq Ahmad injured. The dead person was hit by a bullet on his head," said Mohammad Amin, a resident.

Senior police officials said the policemen opened fire in self defence.

"Suspecting that the police have come to torch their property, the villagers held two personnel hostage and damaged the vehicle. In the process, the police personnel opened fire leaving two people," said Bashir Ahmad, additional deputy commissioner of Kupwara district.

The two policemen were handed over to the authorities in the full glare of the media.

ANI