Amid a separatist-sponsored shutdown in Kashmir, fidayeen militants of Hizbul Mujahideen struck in Srinagar on Wednesday killing five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and injuring six others. Two attackers were shot dead in the gunfight that renewed suicide attacks after a lull of three years in the capital city where dozens of CRPF bunkers have been removed during the peaceful phase.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah confirmed in the Assembly that it was a fidayeen attack, while Union Home Secretary RK Singh in New Delhi described the attackers as Pakistani nationals. A senior police officer said that the attack seemed to be bearing lashkar-e-Tayyeba signature.
Police said that the militants attacked the CRPF camp at Bemina locality on the city's periphery around 10.45 am when the personnel were readying for law and order deployments near Police Public School. Sources said that the attackers in sports attire came in a car and disembarked along with a sports kit to walk towards a cricket field where local boys were busy playing. The CRPF personnel mistook them as players until they pulled out grenades and weapons from the bag and launched the attack, said a senior CRPF officer.
The entire area rattled with gunfire and explosions for more than half an hour. In the initial bout of fire, five CRPF men were killed and six others got wounded. Four local boys were also injured in the attack. Most of the wounded have been hit by bullets or splinters. The Police School was closed due to shutdown call by the separatists.
The slain CRPF men have been identified as ASI AB Singh and Constables Om Prakash, l Parmol, Shubash and Satish Shah. Omar Abdullah said that the wounded cops and civilians were out of danger. They were shifted to Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital and Institute of Medical Sciences.
Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the fidayeen attack and threatened to carry out more such attacks in future. The outfit's spokesman, Baliguddin, told a local news agency, KNS, over phone that it was a guerrilla attack. "The Hizb militants will carry out these kinds of attacks in future also," he threatened.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (central Kashmir) Afhadul Mujtaba, however, said that the attack carried lashkar signature. lashkar-e-tayyeba has been involved in most of the fidayeen attacks in Kashmir in the past.
There was less public movement in the area due to shutdown called by Mutahida Majlis-e-Mushawarat or joint advisory council, a grouping of separatist groups formed to lead a stir in support of return of Afzal Guru's body.
Even as Hizb outfit has not linked the fidayeen attack with Guru's hanging, security experts were suspecting militant strikes in its aftermath. Since Guru's hanging, peace has been elusive in Kashmir with population compelled to stay indoors either due to official restrictions or shutdowns sponsored by separatists.
Meanwhile, a red alert has been sounded in Srinagar after the fidayeen attack and a civilian's death by CRPF bullets. The security forces faced another challenge when people started shouting slogans in favour of militants and pelted stones on police and paramilitaries in the vicinity of the encounter site.
In another incident, CRPF personnel returning from a premier hospital after donating blood for their injured colleagues allegedly opened fire at Saidpora locality killing a 24-year-old civilian Altaf Ahmad Wani. Police said the CRPF party came under stone-pelting and other missiles by the miscreants, an allegation refuted by the locals. The situation worsened in the old city after Wani's death as hundreds of people chanting anti-India slogans came out on streets. Sensing trouble, the authorities have decided to impose curfew-like restrictions in Srinagar city on Thursday.
Sensing trouble, the District Magistrate Srinagar announced to impose section 144 of Criminal Panel Code in capital city from the midnight of March 13 "to avoid breach of peace and tranquility".
Meanwhile, the Kashmir University postponed all examinations scheduled for Thursday. Both factions of Hurriyat Conference have called for a shutdown on Thursday to protest against the "cold-blooded" murder of a youngster in Saidpora pocket of Srinagar.