Kashmir terror attack: PM Modi offers condolences, salutes brave CRPF martyrs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid homage to the eight martyred CRPF personnel on Twitter saying that he was “pained by their demise.”

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In one of the deadliest attacks of this year, eight Central Reserve Police Force personnel were martyred and 24 injured on Saturday after militants opened fire at a convoy belonging to the paramilitary force in Pampore on the outskirts of Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Two militants were also shot dead in retaliatory fire.

The attack happened on the busy Srinagar-Jammu national highway when the security personnel were returning from a training exercise, police said, according to the latest reports from CNN-News 18.

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also condemned the ambush in Pampore on the CRPF personnel. “Would like to express my condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in today’s dastardly militant attack,” news agency ANI reported Mufti saying.

Calling it a “tragedy”, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said, “All aspects will be looked into.”

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack.

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Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad strongly condemned the attack as well.

“It is painful to learn about the death of our soldiers who are fighting a proxy war and had succeeded in creating an atmosphere in the state, as a result of which the tourists from across the world are visiting Kashmir, thereby contributing to the economy of the state,” Azad said in a statement.

“This terrorist attack at this juncture on our brave security forces should be condemned by one and all,” he said.

Azad, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the troopers.

The Congress leader also expressed hope that the state authorities and security agencies will nab the culprits involved in the act.

Eight Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers were killed and 22 injured in a deadly firing attack on their bus by two LeT ‘fidayeen’ terrorists on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway in Pulwama district on Saturday. The two Lashkar militants were gunned down, officials said.

CRPF Director General Durga Prasad is rushing to Pampore on Sunday to take stock of the situation.

Rajesh Yadav, CRPF commandant also said that 20 jawans injured in the attack were taken to the Army’s 92 Base hospital in Srinagar. He told ANI that the jawans were returning from firing range practice when the attack took place.

CRPF jawans were returning from firing range practice when terrorists attacked, jawans retaliated strongly killing 2 terrorists: R Yadav

— ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2016

“A CRPF convoy on way to Srinagar was attacked by militants at Namblabal near Pampore town on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway,” a senior police officer told IANS.

Nalin Prabhat, IG, CRPF said that both the terrorists killed in the attack appeared to be from Pakistan and from Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Acc to first hand info, both killed terrorists appeared to be Pakistanis &definitely from Lashkar and in all likelihood fidayeen: IG,CRPF op

— ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2016

“Firing exchanges are still going on at the attack site as two militants are still reported to be firing at the security forces,” he said, adding reinforcements have been rushed to the area to ensure that the surviving militants don’t escape.

Traffic on the busy highway came to a halt immediately after the attack, while tension has gripped nearby Pampore town. There is a high security alert issued in Srinagar and search is on for the two escaped terrorists.

FLASH: DG CRPF briefs HM Rajnath Singh on the Pampore terrorist attack incident, DG to visit Pampore tomorrow.

— ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2016

According to ANI, security personnel recovered arms and ammunition, including two AK-47 rifles, 11 hand grenades from the two terrorists killed in the attack.

Security personnel recovered arms and ammunition including 2 AK 47 Rifles, 11 hand grenades from the 2 terrorists killed in Pampore attack.

— ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2016

With inputs from IANS