Four policemen killed in IED blast in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore

Four policemen were killed while one was seriously injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Sopore town of Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Saturday.

Militants had planted the IED near a shop in a lane between the ‘Chotta Bazaar’ and ‘Bada Bazaar’ in Sopore in Baramulla district, the official said.

While three policemen died on the spot, the fourth, who was seriously injured in the blast, succumbed to the injuries later. They were patrolling the area in view of a separatist-sponsored strike there.

Three of the four policemen who lost their lives were identified as ASI Irshad, Mohammad Amin and Gh Nabi. The identity of the 4th slain policeman was not immediately known.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said she was "pained" by the incident and expressed her condolences to the families of deceased policemen. 

Pained to hear that four policeman have been killed in an IED explosion in Sopore. My deepest condolences to their families.

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 6, 2018

No group has yet claimed the responsibility of the blast.

This was the first major attack on the security forces in the valley in 2018.

Five CRPF men were killed on December 31 when heavily armed terrorists carried out a suicide attack on a camp of the paramilitary force in Pulwama in south Kashmir.