5 CRPF jawans killed in Pulwama attack laid to rest, 2 JeM terrorists eliminated
The terrorists first threw grenades and then opened fire to enter the center.
In Short
- 3 CRPF officers were injured, while 2 were martyred.
- JeM took responsibility for the terror attack by saying it's to avenge their top leader's death.
- Noor Trali was eliminated in an encounter in the Pulwama district on December 26.
Hours before the New Year, heavily armed Jaish terrorists attacked CRPF training camp in Awantipora.
On Sunday, at 2 am, heavily armed militants entered group centre of 185 battalion Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) training center in Lethpora area of South Kashmir by open firing at the camp.
The terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed has taken responsibility of the fidayeen attack, which was carried to avenge the killing of their commander Noor Trali.
The terrorists first threw UBGL grenades and then open fired outside the CRPF camp at the security guard and managed to get inside. Heavy police reinforcement was immediately rushed to the spot.
A senior source told India today "At 1pm on Saturday, Jammu Kashmir police shared a specific intel. Two terrorists of JEM would attack Group training centre in Lethapora within 24 hours and the attack happened in 13 hours."
The attack happened in the under construction camp of CRPF spread over 200 acres. The sentry guards were on high alert. The second in command (2IC)and the assistant 2IC were on patrol when terrorist barged in.
According to recent reports, 5 CRPF jawan have been martyred, while 3 sustained injuries. Jawan who lost his life is Saifuddin, two others injured Narender and Samadhan Malve are out of danger. Three jawans died of bullet injuries and one died due to cardiac arrest (shock).
Senior police officers and CRPF reached the location with reinforcement to take charge of the situation.
Three security personnel injured in attack by terrorists on CRPF Training Center in Awantipora, Pulwama (J&K). (visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/CVH0opiPzv- ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017
Terrorists were holed-up on the 4th floor of the administrative block of the group centre. The administrative block has the control room and few living quarters. It is suspected that they entered after cutting the wire fence in the rear portion of the facility.
It is a four-storey building. Srinagar- Jammu highway has been shut down for security reasons after the attack.
Sources said that the suicide attack was specific to 185 battalion of CRPF in Lethapora, Awantipora in Pulwama district.
While some within forces hinted at security lapse despite specific intelligence but CRPF Director General (DG) RR Bhatnagar was quick to come to defence of his men.
"The terrorists were engaged immediately by our troops and were holed up in one building. The families and civilians were evacuated," he said.
IG Muneer Khan said "Two of the jawans have been safely evacuated while process of extricating others is on. Though terrorist managed to barge in, they could not do full scale damage they intended to do."
AVENGING NOOR TRALI'S DEATH:
Jaish-e-Mohammed's top leader in South Kashmir, Noor Mohammed Tantray alias Noor Trali was eliminated in an encounter in the Pulwama district on December 26.
Trali, 47, was the main leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed in the South Kashmir area and was responsible for carrying out operations along with the Pakistani-origin terrorists of the group coming from across the border, as per reports.
Trali was one of the oldest terrorists actively operating in Kashmir and was killed in a joint operation by the 50 Rashtriya Rifles and the local police in the in Samboora area of Pulwama.
The 47-year-old was wanted in various terror incidents earlier this year, including a suicide attack at the BSF camp at Srinagar airport, and had become an irritant for the security forces as he had escaped from encounter spots on several occasions.
Trali's body was recovered along with one weapon on Tuesday morning. At the encounter site, joint security forces' team had surrounded his hideout in a cluster of houses in Samboora area. Trali was killed after a brief exchange of fire.
Incidentally, the NSG Commandos which specialize in urban terror attacks and room intervention left two weeks ago as security agencies felt the task was better suited to existing agency. A part of the team left for Jammu for training of forces while most of the black cats returned to Delhi.
(Inputs from Ashraf Wani and Shuja-ul-Haq)
WATCH VIDEO | 2 jawans killed in Pulwama CRPF camp attack by JeM militants