Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Aug 16: In one of the audacious attacks, fourth this week in Pulwama, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were among two BSF men killed and four others injured when militants opened fired at their vehicle outside the Awantipora Indian Air Force Station in South Kashmir district of Pulwama today.
Police said that BSF personnel were changing guard at the airfield in Pulwama, this afternoon when a group of militants opened fire at them.
These men were deployed for securing the IAF Station, Koil in Pulwama district and the squad that came under militant attack belonged to 165th battalion of BSF.
Police said that these men were travelling in a Gypsy bearing registration number WB74J3708 when militants attacked them, killing two BSF men and injuring four others. The other BSF personnel present on the spot retaliated but the militants fled away.
A police spokesman said militants opened fire on the BSF vehicle at Kuil killing two BSF men injuring four. “ASI R Yadav and Head Constable S Yadav succumbed to injuries. The other injured personnel have been identified as Head Constable Jai Prasad, Constables Amar Bahadur, P Singh and Vinod Kumar”, the spokesman said. The injured have been shifted to an Army base hospital in the vicinity of the IAF Station.
Militants fled to the nearby orchards after the attack. Police, Rashtriya Rifles of Army and BSF rushed to the area and a massive search operation has been launched.
Senior Police officers including Inspector General of Police, Kashmir range, G A Mir rushed to Pulwama to assess the situation.
Security in Srinagar city was also put on alert after the attack. Police men without arms were asked to move out of Srinagar city Centre and adjacent areas and only police men with automatic weapons were deployed in the area after the attack. Police and CRPF were seen checking vehicles at several places in Srinagar city.
Today’s attack on BSF is the fourth on security forces this week in the same area of Pulwama in which six persons including 5 security personnel have been killed and 12 BSF men were injured.
On August 11, militants attacked a BSF convoy at Pampore injuring 8 personnel including Assistant Commandant. This was followed by another attack in which militants shot dead constable of Railway Protection Force in Pulwama.
On August 14, militants attacked a police vehicle at Gallander in Pampore in district Pulwama killing two policemen and a civilian.
Security agencies believed that Lashkar-e-Toiba is behind these series of attacks on the security forces in Pulwama district. They believe that LeT commander, Irshad Gania and a Pakistani militant is behind these series of attacks that took place on the security forces in Pulwama during past few days.
In the meantime, a police man along with his service rifle went missing from Special Operation Group (SOG) camp Sopore in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thursday night.
Sources said that policeman, Mohammad Shafi Dar son of Mohammad Maqbool Dar of Nowpora Sopore, working with SOG didn’t return to camp last night after duty.
Sources said that the SPO has joined LeT with an AK-47 rifle. The SPO was a former militant.
Army yesterday averted a major tragedy by recovering an anti-tank mine in Chaklu area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Army said that following specific information, Army’s 32 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) launched searches along Baramulla-Kupwara highway near Chaklu. “During the searches, an anti-Tank mine MK1 was found near a dug out,” they said.
The Bomb Disposal Squad of Baramulla and 46 RR rushed to the spot and defused the mine.
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