J&K: Body of third terrorist recovered, two-day operation at Pulwama's CRPF camp ends

Five CRPF jawans were killed and three others were injured in an attack by terrorists the Lethpora CRPF camp.

Photo: Soldiers take position during an encounter in Pulwama district's Lethpora area (IANS)

Kashmir: The body of the third Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist has been recovered from the debris of Lethpora Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp. After recovering the body, the armed forces have called off the operation. The body is yet to be unidentified.  

The armed forces had on Monday resumed their operations for the second day at the CRPF training centre. The operation was launched after heavily armed JeM terrorists attacked the camp in the wee hours of Sunday. Five CRPF jawans were killed and three others were injured in the attack. 

While two terrorists were neutralised later on Sunday, search was on for the third attacker who was holed up in the area. The terrorists had fled to nearby buildings after opening fire on the camp.

One of the terrorists killed was a Class 10 student whose father is part of Jammu and Kashmir's police force.

"The heavily armed terrorists stormed the camp at about 2 AM. They were armed with under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons. They were challenged by camp sentries," a CRPF official said, adding they fired indiscriminately injuring three personnel.

Director General of Police SP Vaid said security forces had prior information about an impending strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days.

The attack is believed to have been carried out as retribution for the string of killings of prominent JeM terrorists over the past month. 

This is the first time local terrorists carried out a suicide attack.

The deceased personnel include Inspector Kuldip Roy from Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh), Head Constable Taufail Ahmed of Rajouri (J&K), constables Sharief-ud-din Ganaie of Chadoora in Budgam (J&K), Rajendra Nain of Churu (Rajasthan) and PK Panda of Sundargarh (Odisha).

Roy died of heart attack during the gunbattle, the four others succumbed to bullet injuries.