Five CRPF men killed in Srinagar attack, probe ordered

Militants on Wednesday attacked a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in the Bemina area of Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir and killed five jawans.

Zeenews Bureau New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday ordered a probe into the brazen fidayeen attack in the Bemina area of Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir in which five CRPF jawans were killed and several others seriously injured. Briefing reporters about the fidyayeen attack in Srinagar, Union Home Secretary RK Singh said, “The attack seems to be handiwork of militants who came from across the border in Pakistan.” “Prima facie evidence suggests that these militants were from across the border. They were probably from Pakistan,” Singh said. “We had inputs of four militants having entered; now two are dead. All our units are alert,” he added. “The two militants who managed to escape after the attack are also said to be from Pakistan. A probe into the matter has been ordered and the security forces have been asked to take all preventive measures,” he said. His statement came shortly after some militants stormed a CRPF camp adjoining a school in Bemina area of Srinagar killing five jawans and injuring at least seven others. According to reports, militants sneaked inside a public school and opened indiscriminate firing on civilians, including school children who were playing cricket, and the security forces. Two militants were shot dead by the security forces in the ensuing firing. Some civilians also sustained severe injuries in the incident. The security forces cordoned off the entire area to avoid any further casualty. Senior security officials confirmed the killing of two militants in the cross firing. "Five jawans have been martyred and seven have been injured," IGP (Kashmir) Abdul Gani Mir told reporters at the spot. Four to five CRPF jawans were among the injured, he said. Mir further said it was not immediately clear whether there were two or three militants who hurled grenades and opened indiscriminate firing at the CRPF camp. "Two fidayeen (suicide militants) were neutralized by the security forces," Mir said. He said the group affiliation and identity of the militants killed in the incident was a matter of investigation. The firing, which was suspended for some time, resumed after more gunshots were heard in the locality. Meanwhile, a massive search operation was also launched to ascertain if more militants were hiding in the area. It is believed to be a fidayeen attack as the militants first targeted the CRPF camp and hurled grenades on the security forces and then sneaked inside the public school, which was closed due to the shutdown called by separatist leaders today. The shutdown has been called by the separatists who are demanding the return of mortal remains of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru. Security officials also recovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunition from the slain militants. Shortly after the attack, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also made a brief statement in the State Legislative Assembly over the incident. Meanwhile, the PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti condemned the attack on the CRPF camp. “We condemn this terror attack in Srinagar in the strongest terms. Unfortunate that 5 CRPF jawans were killed,” she said. Bemina area is important as it houses several vital installations, including a police public school, belonging to the CRPF, Indian Army, and the state government. Today`s incident is the first suicide attack in Kashmir in three years with the last such strike having taken place on January 6, 2010 at Hotel Punjab at Lal Chowk.