Terrorists Attack Police Party in Kashmir, Five CRPF Jawans Killed

Just four months after a deadly suicide attack struck a convoy of the Central Reserve Police Force in south Kashmir’s Pulwama, terrorists struck a police party yet again in south Kashmir’s Anantnag, on Wednesday evening, killing five CRPF soldiers and one militant.

The attack took place along K.P Road in Anantnag, when terrorists struck a patrolling party of the CRPF and the Jammu and Kashmir police, critically injuring five soldiers. While heavy firing began immediately, one terrorist was killed in the exchange.

“At K.P Chowk in Cheegali, near General bus stand in Anantnag, troops of the 116 battalion deployed for duties was fired upon by suspected vehicle borne terrorists,” said a senior CRPF officer in New Delhi.

The CRPF in New Delhi added that the attack took place at 4:55pm on Wednesday when “motor cycle borne terrorists had fired upon troops who were on duty. Five CRPF jawan attained martyrdom, three others were injured and evacuated. One militant had been neutralised, and the area cordoned off. Reinforcements reached and firing ensued.”

Station House Officer (SHO) of Anantnag Police Station, Arshad Ahmed, also sustained injuries in the attack and was shifted to Srinagar for treatment.

Pakistan-based terror group Al Umar Mujahideen claimed responsibility for Anantnag attack. The group is headed by Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, a Kashmiri militant. Zargar was one of the terrorists who had been arrested in India and later released in December 1999 along with Maulana Masood Azhar, following the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814.

The attack comes just weeks before the Amarnath Yatra is set to be flagged off in Jammu and Kashmir – and just hours after Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik, on Wednesday, urged militants to give up arms and invited them to hold talks. Malik reiterated that constructive dialogues were the only way to resolve the crisis in the valley, within the ambit of the Constitution.

Source:LM

Image Courtesy: India Today