Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR Jan 1: The operation launched by security forces against the Fidayeen, who attacked Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Training Centre in Pulwama district of South Kashmir ended today following the recovery of the body of third militant.
In a pre-dawn strike, five CRPF men were killed while three others injured when three Fidayeen of Jaish-e-Mohammad stormed the camp at Letpora in Pulwama district yesterday.
The body of third Fidayeen was recovered this afternoon from the debris. Bodies of two Fidayeen Manzoor Ahmad Baba from Drubgam, Pulwama and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday from Nazeempora, Tral were recovered yesterday.
As the security forces were conducting searches last evening and removing debris, they were fired upon by the third Fidayeen leading to heavy firing. However, the operation was put on hold for the night and in the morning it was resumed and body of third Fidayeen was recovered. However, his identity was not ascertained and he is believed to be Pakistani national.
Special Director General of CRPF, SN Srivastav, today told reporters that the operation continued throughout the night. “Darkness was a limiting factor and it impeded our operation. This morning we continued the operation and concluded it with the killing of last hiding militant. While I am briefing you some amount of search operation is going on as the campus is very big”, he said.
“We want to discount chances of anybody hiding anywhere, though the chances are bleak. But still we want to be fully sure before calling off the operation. There were no further casualties on our side today. Four of the security forces personnel were martyred yesterday while carrying out the operation and two militants were also killed. Third militant was killed today”, he said.
Asked about the identity of the third militant killed today Srivastav said that it is primarily a task of J&K Police but “I think he is a foreign militant. The militants killed yesterday were locals.”
The Special DG said that they had upgraded the security of the camp after inputs about Fidayeen attack. “As security forces, we anticipate such attack and for that we had been upgrading our security for long time. Letpora is a large campus and we had started using it this year for training purposes as security forces need good amount of training and physical exercise. Since we anticipated it, we knew it could be a probable target and on the night of attack the entire campus was on high alert and large number of security forces were on duty. There were patrolling parties deputed”, he said.
“As soon as the militants managed to gain entry they were challenged and it was because of the alertness and professionalism shown by the unit that the militants’ were limited to one or two buildings”, he said.
Asked about the lapses in the coordination between different security agencies, the Special DG said: “There is high level of coordination and synergy among us and it is because of this bonding we are successful in foiling several attacks in the past as well.”
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