One of the six Central Reserve Police Force personnel who were injured on Monday after their convoy was attacked in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, has succumbed to his injuries. Two are in critical condition, while three of them are out of danger, CRPF said. A 10-year-old girl was also injured in the militant attack, which took place in Srinagar’s Panthachowk.
“Our companies were heading to Srinagar from Jammu when terrorists opened fire. Six personnel were injured and have been taken to a hospital,” CRPF Public Relations Officer B Chaudhary had told ANI. “It is a sensitive time, with separatists calling for a boycott of the elections [by-polls],” Chaudhary said, adding that all troops are on high alert in the state.
Another CRPF spokesperson Rajesh Yadav told Greater Kashmir that additional companies of the paramilitary force had been deployed to ensure security ahead of the by-elections. The girl who was injured has been identified as Drangbal Pampore resident, Zainab.
This is the third militant attack in the state Capital in as many days, adding to security concerns in the Kashmir Valley ahead of the by-elections on April 9 and April 12 in Srinagar and Anantnag. A police officer was killed and at least 10 other security officers were injured in a grenade attack on Sunday evening in Jammu and Kashmir’s Nowhatta town near Srinagar. On Saturday, a soldier was injured after militants attacked an Army convoy near the state Capital.
Earlier on Monday, an Army jawan was stopped at Srinagar airport after two grenades were found in his baggage. He was travelling to Delhi and meant to hand them over to someone there, officials said.
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