Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 3: Militants today attacked a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy at Pantha Chowk area in the outskirts of Srinagar killing one jawan and injuring 7 others including two civilians.
An officer of CRPF said that the paramilitary personnel were on their way from Jammu to Srinagar in TATA 407 and other buses for election duty. He said one of the vehicles was targeted by militants at Pantha Chowk, resulting in injuries to six CRPF men of 97 Battalion of CRPF. All the injured personnel were rushed to Army’s 92 Base Hospital at BB Cantonment.
Out of six, three CRPF men, who were critical, one succumbed identified as Bassapa resident of Karnataka to his injuries. The condition of the other two is critical.
The injured civilians that included one school girl identified as Zainab were also rushed to the hospital but both are stated to be stable. Zainab, 10 year old student of DPS was injured in the attack.
Soon after the attack, police and SOG, Army and CRPF arrived on the spot and launched searches to nab the attackers.
Security forces sealed the entire area and stopped movement of vehicles on the highway. However, no one was arrested. Lashkar-e-Toiba claimed responsibility of the attack.
Today’s attack is the third of its kind in Srinagar in three days. On Saturday, three army men were injured when militants attacked their convoy at JVC Bemina. One policeman was killed and 14 others were injured at Nowhatta last evening when militants hurled a grenade on police and CRPF.
Speaking to reporters today at the wreath laying ceremony of police man killed in grenade attack at Nowhatta last evening, Director General of Police, S P Vaid said that security forces will devise a strategy to deal with showering of bullets and hurling of grenades at them behind the stone pelting mob.
“Our jawans have been facing bullets from behind the pelting mob. Grenade is also part of that greater design. We will devise strategy to deal with it. And I am sure with our experience we will handle it”, he said.
The police chief said that such attacks that took place last year as well will only bring death and destruction. “Last year when situation was bad, similar attack occurred that time as well. Such attacks only result in death and destruction and bloodshed and nothing else is achieved by them. My heart goes out to the family which has lost their dear one”, he said.
Vaid said that presence of mobile phones in jail is a security breach. “The mobile phones were recovered after a search. It is a security breach. We have taken them into custody and they (inmates) will face action”, he said.
He said that the cyber forensic team will fully investigate and will check all the numbers and then action will be taken.
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