At least two Jammu and Kashmir police officers died and three others were injured on Friday morning during a suspected militant attack in Nowgam village on the outskirts of Srinagar city.

“Terrorists fired indiscriminately upon police party near Nowgam Bypass,” the Kashmir Zone Police tweeted. “Three police personnel injured. They were shifted to hospital for treatment where two among them attained martyrdom.” The police added that the area was cordoned off after the attack.

Kashmir inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar said that Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group was behind the attack, PTI reported. “They [the militants] fired indiscriminately and two of our jawans were martyred,” he said. “We will neutralise them soon.”

The attack occurred a day before Independence Day, when multi-layer security arrangements have been put in place in the region to ensure all official events take place smoothly, according to The Kashmir Walla. The administration has also increased frisking operations across the Valley, especially in Srinagar and in spots between Srinagar and Jammu, and Srinagar and Baramulla.

Kumar added that the police receive inputs about militant activity before Independence Day and Republic Day every year. “We had inputs that they will try [an attack] in some area,” he was quoted as saying by PTI. “The boys [the police] were alert and prepared, but they [the militants] came from the rear side and fired on them. This is a narrow lane and there was civilian movement and if our boys would have retaliated, there would have been loss of civilian, so they exercised restraint.”

The Peoples Democratic Party offered condolences to the families of the policemen killed in the attack. “ [We] vehemently condemn the attack on Jammu and Kashmir police personnel,” the party wrote on Twitter. “Such attacks further aggravate the situation for Kashmiris already reeling under double disaster post August 5. We join the families of deceased in mourning their loss.”