JOIN USFive troopers killed in terror attack on CRPF camp in Pulwama
Seven people, including five paramilitary troopers and two ultras, were killed on Saturday when fidayeen (suicide) militants launched a pre-dawn attack on a CRPF camp in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Sunday.
Inspector General CRPF Ravi Deep Sahi said the attack took place at 185 CRPF training centre in Letpora, Awantipora around 2 am.
"Armed militants entered the camp, hurled UBGL grenades and started indiscriminate firing at 2.05 am," he told reporters.
After forcing their way into the complex, the militants resorted to indiscriminate firing and threw grenades, in which three CRPF personnel were killed and two others injured, CRPF spokesman CRPF Rajesh Yadhav, said.
"Four personnel lost their lives and one of them died due to heart attack," he said.
"The security forces engaged the fidayeen, who were hiding in the concrete building and after hours of exchange of firing both the militants were neutralised," he added.
The Lethpora camp also serves as a training centre for troops inducted for counter-militancy operations in the state.
The Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit, while claiming responsibility for the attack, warned of more such raids.
"Such attacks will continue till the last Indian soldier leaves Kashmir," a local news gathering agency GNS quoting the outfit's statement said.
State Police chief Shesh Pal Vaid said security forces had an input about an impending militant strike in the Valley for the past three days.
"There was an input from the last two-three days. They (militants) were trying. They probably could not get a place and time earlier. So, they struck last night (Saturday)," Vaid told reporters.
The state police chief was speaking at a press conference to outline the achievements of the Jammu and Kashmir Police in 2017.
"As long as our neighbour (Pakistan) keeps sending people like this (fidayeen), my police and security forces and people of Kashmir will have to go through this. It is unfortunate that this happened," he said.