The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for an attack in Srinagar on Tuesday evening that killed an assistant sub-inspector of police, marking a fresh attempt by the global terror group to make inroads into Kashmir.

The group released a purported video of the attack through its propaganda arm Amaq, showing grainy footage captured by a body camera.

The 7.15pm attack at the busy Lal Bazar locality in Srinagar city killed ASI Mushtaq Ahmad Lone and injured two other policemen.

The attackers escaped taking advantage of the security relaxations for the three-day Eid-ul-Azha, officials said. Many policemen take leave to celebrate the festival with their families.

Officials said this was the third attack since 2020 featuring militants’ use of body camera footage, seen as an attempt to “glamorise” militancy and win recruits.

An official said three militants are believed to have carried out the attack, with one of them wearing a body camera. Two of the militants fired with their pistols at the policemen at an inactive checkpoint as several vehicles passed by.

Al Qaida and the Islamic State have tried to make their presence felt in Kashmir in the past through local franchises such as the Ansar Ghazwat ul Hind and the Wilayat-e-Hind, respectively.

Neither group has been able to gain much of a foothold in the face of resistance by the security forces as well as by Pakistan and the militant groups sponsored by it.

‘Militant’ son

Mushtaq, 56, is the second police officer killed by militants in two years. He had in April 2020 lost his son Aqib, 21, to a purported gunfight in his home district of Kulgam. Aqib was an engineering student at a Chandigarh college.

The police had described Aqib as a “militant associate” and refused to hand his body over to his family, despite his father’s pleas, as part of a three-year-old strategy to pre-empt funeral processions turning into massive protests. The family had denied that Aqib had militant links.

Hundreds took part in Mushtaq’s burial at Shouch village, Kulgam, on Tuesday night. Village numberdar (head) Abdul Hameed Lone said Mushtaq had been heartbroken after losing his son.

“He (Aqib) had arrived home a few minutes before his death. The forces buried him secretly at a far-off village (in a graveyard reserved for militants) despite his father’s plea that he was not a militant,” Abdul Hamid said.

Senior police and civil administration officials paid glowing tributes to Mushtaq.

“My deepest condolences to the family of our braveheart JKP’s ASI, Mushtaq Ahmad. I pray for the early recovery of the injured. Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack on security personnel in Srinagar,” lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha said.

Mushtaq leaves behind his wife, a son and two daughters, family sources said.