CRPF foil fidayeen attack; one killed, cop injured
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR Feb 12: A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel was killed and a police man injured as they foiled an attempt by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) fidayeen to storm into their camp at Karan Nagar area of Srinagar early today.
The CRPF today thwarted a fidayeen attack on their 23rd battalion camp in Karan Nagar area of Srinagar early today. A CRPF spokesman said that in the wee hours today, fidayeen, carrying bags and armed with AK 47s, were seen approaching towards the CRPF camp. “The sentries immediately opened fire at around 4.30 am as they noticed two suspicious persons carrying backpacks and weapons”, he said.
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The firing from the CRPF forced the militants to enter into an under-construction building adjacent to the camp. As the security forces searched the building, the hiding militants opened fire on the killing a CRPF man, Mujahid Khan of 49th Battalion of the CRPF. A cop Javid Ahmed was also injured in the gun battle.
Police and CRPF rescued around 20 persons including children and women from the area. They were taken to safer locations before assault was launched against the fidayeen.
Army was later called in to take on the two fidayeen, who are said to be of LeT. Sources said that the fidayeen called their handlers telling them that their mission has failed and they are holed up in a building adjacent to the CRPF camp.
Huge explosion were heard from the encounter site during the day as Army used grenades and rockets to blast the building. However, militants were firing at the security forces intermittently.
The operation was put on hold for the night and cordon around the building was strengthened to prevent militants from fleeing the area.
Clashes broke out between the youth and security forces outside CRPF camp in Karan Nagar area of Srinagar, in the afternoon. Youth in large numbers assembled near the encounter site and pelted stones on the security forces, triggering clashes. Security forces retaliated by firing teargas to disperse the protesters.
Authorities suspended high-speed mobile internet services in Srinagar soon after the encounter started. “The mobile internet speed was reduced to 2G as soon as we got the order to do so,” a Telecom official said.
The decision about the suspension of the high-speed mobile internet was taken in view of the Karan Nagar gunfight.
In the meantime, security forces have been put on high alert following an input that Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) is trying to carry out fidayeen attack in Kashmir valley. According to inputs they may use an explosive laden car to carry out the attack. The police has asked for intensified security around the vital installations and security force camps.
And two militants including LeT commander were killed in a road mishap at Sopore area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district early today.
The duo were riding on a motorbike and met an accident due to slippery road condition. The duo was shifted to nearby hospital and later removed to Srinagar hospital where both of them succumbed.
One among them was identified as Chota Dujana, an LeT commander. He infiltrated last year and was active in Tangmarg area of Baramulla district before he was shifted to Sopore-Baramulla area.
Another has been identified as Owais Ahmad Mir son of Bashir Mir of Brath Sopore. He joined militancy recently and was missing since last fortnight.
A 45-year-old man was killed after fired upon by gunmen in Charangam area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district this evening.
Gunmen fired upon Mohammad Yousf Rather alias Yousuf Nadeem at Charangam when he was inside a passenger vehicle (Tavera). A co-passenger who was also travelling with him shot fired at him from point blank range.
Rather, a resident of Sanzipora, Beerwah, Budgam was shifted to nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead on arrival.
Rather, an employee of PDD had boarded a Tavera and was on way from Beerwah to Budgam. All other passengers de-boarded the vehicle and fled the spot.
Yousuf Nadeem was a former militant of Hizbul Mumineen and was actively associated with Tahreek-e-Wahdat, an associate group of Hurriyat Conference.
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