* PM, CM condemn terror attack
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, June 24: In one of the major militant strikes in Srinagar, ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s two day visit to the State beginning tomorrow, eight Army personnel were killed and 11 others injured when militants attacked an Army vehicle on Srinagar Bypass in Hyderpora this afternoon.
The fleeing militants also opened fire and hurled a grenade on police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) check point near Barzulla bridge when they tried to stop them during a routine security check. A police officer and a CRPF jawan were injured in Barzulla shoot out.
Srinagar based Defence spokesman, Naresh Vij told Excelsior that eight Army personnel were killed and 11 others injured in the militant attack.
Sources said that the Army vehicle bearing registration Number 07D-174441A that was ambushed was on its way to Beerwah in Central Kashmir district of Budgam from Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar. “Ït was carrying the army men of 35 Rashtriya Rifles of counter insurgency Victor Force, posted in Beerwah, Budgam”, sources added.
Sources said that two militants appeared on the highway near Classic Hospital, only 200 meters away from Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad’s residence and fired on the Army vehicle from the front.
“Both the driver and co-driver died on the spot bringing the vehicle to halt. Militants immediately shifted to rear of the vehicle and fired at the Army men inside the vehicle and also hurled a grenade inside it leading to casualties”, sources said.
Sources said that the militants later fled in a vehicle from the spot and snatched a motor cycle from two students who were coming out of a tuition centre in Baghat area on Airport road. The two students immediately reported to the police about snatching of their motor cycle.
A police spokesman said that militants when retaliated fled from the spot on a motorcycle towards Barzalla. “They were intercepted at Barzalla and a brief exchange of fire took place in which one CRPF Jawan and one police personnel was injured”, the spokesman added.
“One CRPF personnel has been injured in the militant firing near out Rambagh camp,” Inspector General of CRPF Y S Yadav said. He was identified as Sub-Inspector Lala Ram.
The police spokesman said that militants again managed to flee from the spot leaving behind the motorcycle. “The motorcycle has been seized. The area has been cordoned off and the search for the militants who carried out the attack is going on”, the spokesman added.
The spokesman while giving details of the attack said: “At around 1630 hours, Army vehicles were plying on Bypass, Srinagar. Near Classic Hospital, two terrorists ambushed the vehicles and resorted to firing. They also hurled grenade inside a vehicle. In the incident, few casualties have been reported where as few Army Jawans were also injured. All the injured have been shifted to the Hospital”, the spokesman said.
Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the attack. Identifying himself as Baliguddin, spokesperson of the outfit, called up a local news agency and claimed that Hizbul Mujahideen has formed several squads and similar attacks will be carried out in the city in the future as well.
Army along with police and CRPF immediately cordoned off the whole area and launched a manhunt to nab the militants. They conducted searches in the area but militants had managed to flee from the area.
The Army personnel who were killed in the attack are Havaldar C L Rath, Sepoy Uday M, Sepoy G D Prajapati, Sepoy A Nandi, Sepoy Prabin Das and Sepoy J Uppal. The injured have been identified as Sepoy Pooran, Sepoy Vinay Kumar, Sepoy Sanjive Kumar, Sepoy Rajive Kumar, Sepoy T Singh, Lanse Vivek Anand, Lanse Naik Mandal, Naik David, Sepoy Mawyia, Sepoy Manoj Shive Hari, Sepoy Ranglal and Sepoy Parihar. Out of these 13 injured, two scuccumed to the injuries.
The attack comes two days after Hizbul Mujahideen militants gunned down two policemen in the heart of Srinagar city. Militants killed two police in a busy market place at Hari Singh High Street on Saturday when security forces were on high alert.
The attacks since Saturday came even as security was beefed up across the Valley in view of Prime Minister’s two-day visit. The PM is scheduled to reach Srinagar on Tuesday afternoon along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on a two-day visit.
Security was beefed up across Kashmir especially in Srinagar and since last night. Police and CRPF had established check points at several places. After the attack Srinagar has been put on high alert as security forces are dotting the Srinagar’s main streets.
A silver colour Maruti-800 car was stolen from Batmaloo area of Srinagar this evening and security forces are apprehensive that the militants may use the car for any further attack in Srinagar.
Militants have stepped up their attacks on security forces since March this year and so far 27 security men were killed since March and today’s attack is the deadliest of these attacks.
In New Delhi, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh tonight condemned the terror attack in Kashmir and asserted such “cowardly” acts would not deter efforts of security forces to bring about peace in the State.
Singh, who will visit the State tomorrow, extended condolences to the families of the Army personnel who laid down their lives in the attack and prayed for early recovery of those injured.
“The Prime Minister condemned the attack in Kashmir,” a statement issued by the PMO said.
“This cowardly attack will not deter the security forces who are engaged in bringing peace and order to the Kashmir valley,” Singh said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the militant attack on an Army convoy here, saying such strikes would not demoralise the security forces.
Immediately after the attack in which eight Army men were killed, the Chief Minister spoke to the Corps Commander of 15th Corps, Lt Gen G Singh, and expressed his condolences at the loss of lives.
“Such high-profile attacks are aimed at restoring the shattered morale of militants while trying to demoralise the security forces,” he said.
However, such strikes would not lower the morale of the security forces who have had great success in the past against militant groups, Omar said.
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