Suspected militants attacked a Border Security Force (BSF) convoy in north Kashmir’s langate area on Saturday injuring one personnel and evoking severe retaliation from the armed forces. The attack was carried out at a time when normalcy had returned to the Valley on the separatists’ call to the people to resume normal work for two days starting Saturday.
Sources said that a 119-battaion BSF convoy was on way to Baramulla from Kupwara in north Kashmir when suspected militants attacked it near Udipora village. “Militants opened indiscriminate fire on the BSF vehicles evoking retaliation from the security personnel. Even as militants fled away from the scene, a BSF man received bullet injury in his leg. He was shifted to hospital and is stable,” police sources said.
A cordon and search operation was launched in the area to track down the attackers.
This was the second attack on security forces in the area in as many days. On Thursday, militants opened fire on a police station in Handwara. There was no casualty in the attack.
Meanwhile, life returned to normal in Kashmir Valley after another spell of weeklong shutdown. last week, the separatists had called for a two-day halt in shutdown breaking a record of 133 days of complete bandh in Kashmir. The separatists are spearheading a shutdown and protest campaign in the valley since July 8 when security forces shot dead prominent Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani and his two associates in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Kokernag area.