Motorcycle-borne terrorists attack CRPF party in Kulgam, three injured

Three CRPF personnel were injured after motorcycle-borne terrorists opened fire at a security party in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace the assailants

Srinagar: Three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured in a terrorist attack in J&K’s Kulgam district on Wednesday. Joint forces have swung into action and cordoned off the area to trace the assailants.

Official sources said two motorcycle-borne terrorists opened fire at a CRPF party in Kulgam district around 2.15 pm and fled immediately after the attack.

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The incident took place in the Akhran area near Mir Bazar in Kulgam. Panic gripped the area following the terrorist firing. A general alert has been sounded across the district and adjoining areas to trace the terrorists.

“The injured CRPF jawans were shifted to Anantnag Medical College Hospital for treatment. They belong to the 46th Battalion of the CRPF,” an official said.

“The area has been cordoned off for searches by the Army, CRPF and J&K Police,” an official source said.

Senior Army, CRPF and J&K Police officials have reached the spot to supervise the operation. Further details are awaited.

Parts of Kulgam district, such as Mir Bazar, Qazigund and Shamsipora, lie near key transit corridors connecting the Kashmir Valley to Jammu. Road-opening parties and checkpoints (nakas) are sometimes targeted by terrorists in hit-and-run firing incidents or grenade attacks.

The upper reaches and forested belts of Kulgam district, such as Akhal, have periodically served as terrorist hideouts, leading to extended joint operations involving the J&K Police, the Army’s Rashtriya Rifles, the CRPF and Para Commandos.

On July 31, terrorists killed two labourers in the Kelam area of Kulgam district. That was the last terrorist attack in the district until Wednesday.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each labourer killed in the Kelam terror attack, while the administration provided an ex gratia relief of Rs 6 lakh to the families.