Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 24: A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Commandant and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Pulwama was among 17 police and CRPF personnel and 8 civilians injured as militants attacked a police party in Pulwama town today.
Reports said that militants threw two grenades on a police party near Degree College Pulwama when they were on law and order duty to quell stone throwing protests in the town. They also fired at the police and CRPF injuring 17 police and CRPF personnel.
The injured include ASP Pulwama, Azhar Baba, DySP Pulwama, Muhammad Shafiq and SHO Pulwama, Adil Ahmad. All the three officers were airlifted to 92 Base Hospital of Army and the condition of SHO is stated to be critical. The other injured forces personnel have also been hospitalized.
The security forces also fired back and 8 civilians were injured in grenade attack and firing. The injured persons were immediately rushed to hospital and one of them identified as Muhammad Ashraf Mir of Rohmoo Pulwama is stated to be critical. He has been shifted to Srinagar’s SMHS hospital.
Senior police and CRPF officers rushed to the spot to assess the situation. More troops were sent to the area and security forces were seen hunting for the militants who took advantage of the protests and fled from the scene.
A police spokesman said here today that during stone pelting near Degree College Pulwama, militants hiding in the mob fired and hurled two grenades on the deployment resulting in injuries to 17 police and CRPF personnel and some civilians.
“The injured include CO 183 Bn CRPF, ASP Pulwama, DySP Pulwama and SHO Pulwama”, Police said.
It may be mentioned here that militants under the cover of unrest since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Wani, are making free movement and even public appearances in protest rallies.
The security forces operation against them has been stopped since Burhan’s killings even as security forces killed 103 militants in Kashmir this year which is highest in recent years.
Last week, the Army’s Northern Commander, Lt General DS Hooda said that the Army and security forces are resuming the anti militancy operations starting from North Kashmir and then they would be followed in South Kashmir. However, an operation conducted in Sheeri, Baramulla had to be called off as residents pelted stones at police and Army when they trapped four militants in the village. The militants fled under the cover of stone throwing protests.
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