A Special Police Officer (SPO) was shot by militants in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Tuesday evening here.

After a violent 2018 that claimed more than 413 lives in the Kashmir valley, the SPO has become the first casualty of 2019.

The slain SPO has been identified as Sameer Ahmad Mir, a resident of Hajin-Payeen village in the Rajpora area of Pulwama district.

It is the same village where four Jaish-e-Mohammad militants were killed on Saturday. The police said the attack occurred at 7.30 pm

“The militants barged into the house of the SPO and fired at him several times,” a police officer said.

Sameer was being taken to a hospital but he succumbed to his injuries on the way.

Following the incident, security forces reached the spot. They have laid a cordon in the area to try and nab the assailants.

Army Chief arrives for two-day Valley visit 

Srinagar: The Chief of Army Staff, Gen Bipin Rawat, on Tuesday arrived in the Kashmir valley on a two-day visit. He interacted with the troops and reviewed the prevailing security situation along the LoC and in the hinterland. Accompanied by Northern Command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh and Chinar Corps GOC Lt Gen AK Bhatt, the Army Chief visited the frontier district of Kupwara, where he interacted with the troops. TNS

Courtesy:The Tribune,Jan2,2019