A Commanding Officer of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and seven militants were killed while ten CRPF personnel and a policeman were hurt in two separate gun-battles in Nowhatta area of Old Srinagar and Uri sector of north Kashmir on Monday. The Srinagar attack is significant as it took place on Independence Day amid heavy security deployment in an area where militant standoffs have not taken place for many years.
Ironically, the attack came on a day when Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti called on Governor NN Vohra and discussed the measures taken by the PDP-BJP Government for restoration of peace in the State. In the hour-long meeting they also discussed measures to provide the “best” opportunities to the youth of the State through rapid and all-round development, a Raj Bhavan spokesman said.
Reacting to the news of the attack, Home Minister Rajnath Singh voiced deep pain over the death of CRPF Commanding Officer Pramod Kumar and ordered shifting of the injured to Delhi by air ambulance for treatment. “CRPF Commanding Officer Pramod Kumar fought valiantly when attacked by terrorists in Srinagar. I am deeply pained at his death,” he said in a statement in New Delhi.
The security forces also shot five infiltrators in Uri sector of north Kashmir. Defence sources said the infiltrators were intercepted at night and the ensuing gun-battle left five infiltrators dead.CRPF spokesman Rajesh Yadav said that militants opened fire on a CRPF party at a road between Khanyar and Nowhatta in old Srinagar on Monday morning. The militants took positions in a dilapidated building and engaged the security forces in an exchange of fire for several hours.The attack was so intense that ten CRPF personnel and a policeman were injured.
The wounded personnel were immediately evacuated to hospital where Commandant of the 49 Battalion Kumar succumbed to his injuries. Two among the ten injured CRPF men were in a critical State at the Army’s Base Hospital.
The area was immediately cordoned off and a flush-out operation began to track down the attackers who engaged with the security forces for around six hours. During the retaliatory action, two militants were killed. Two AK series rifles with eight magazines have been recovered from the possession of the slain militants.
The Nowhatta attack is significant because this indicates the presence of militants in volatile old Srinagar where such attacks have not occurred for several years. Apart from one-off grenade attacks, the signs of militant attacks have been minimal in the sensitive area. The attack took place when the entire area was under tight curfew for the unprecedented 38th day.
The identity of slain militants was not immediately ascertained.
later, in New Delhi saluting the CRPF officer for his valour and supreme sacrifice, the Home Minister said Kumar served the nation till his last breath. “I offer my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family,” he said.
The Home Minister also asked Director General of CRPF Durga Prasad to evacuate those injured in the incident by air ambulance to Delhi for better treatment. “I also pray for the speedy recovery of the injured CRPF jawans,” he said.
In another incident, security forces shot dead five infiltrators in Uri sector of north Kashmir, around 120 km from here. Militants have rarely used the Uri sector on the line of Control (loC) for infiltration this year. The main focus of the ingress has been the Machhil and Nowgam sectors in Kupwara district. The security forces admit that the number of infiltration bids has been significantly high this year. Sources said that two Army Commanding Officers have been injured in the gunfight.
Meanwhile, normal life remained crippled in the entire Kashmir Valley on Monday for the 38th day. A16-year-old boy Yasir Ahmad Sheikh was killed when security forces shot at him at Batmaloo in Srinagar. He later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital, triggering massive clashes in his native area.
Earlier, Ishfaq Ahmad Bhat, a 21-year-old man succumbed to his injuries at a Srinagar hospital. Bhat had been injured during clashes between protesters and security forces at Tangmarg last week.
Amid curfew in Srinagar City and major towns of the Valley and the separatist-sponsored shutdown on Independence Day, life remained out of gear. The authorities have snapped Internet connections and barred mobile telephony except for the post-paid services of the State-owned BSNl. The ban on Internet has hampered communication and affected the publication of most of the local newspapers.
Police foiled a sit-in programme of Awami Ittihad Party legislator Sheikh Rashid who attempted to hoist a black flag at clock tower in curfew-bound lal Chowk. Rashid and his colleagues were taken into custody as they shouted slogans in favour of holding plebiscite in Jammu & Kashmir.
While the ID celebrations were held peacefully in most parts of the Valley amid tight security, the protesters attempted to create hurdles in the official functions at Bandipora and Beerwah areas. The separatists had urged upon the people to block the roads leading to the official venues for the ID celebrations.
A police spokesman said the situation remained under control in most parts of Kashmir Valley. Five incidents of stone pelting were reported from Shopian, Sopore and Bandipora,” police said adding “miscreants pelted stones on police post Keegam, security camp at Memender and Army camp at Balpora, Shopian. At Aragam, Bandipora miscreants assembled and pelted stones on Police Station Aragam.”
At Pothkhah, Sopore about 250 miscreants assembled on the road and pelted stones on police post Potkhah. At Trehgam, Kupwara miscreants pelted stones on police and security force deployment, police said.