Srinagar, May 30: At least seven paramilitary CRPF men were wounded when some gunmen opened fire on them in old city here on Wednesday morning.
Sources said motorcycle borne gunmen opened fire on CRPF vehicle of 82 Battalion near JLNM Hospital (Victor Crossing) in Khanyar area of the old city this morning.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Public Relations Officer CRPF Sudhir Kumar said, “Militants attacked the One-ton vehicle of CRPF that was carrying seven personnel. They (militants) fired at the vehicle indiscriminately and did not give any chance to retaliate in proper way.”
He said the injured CRPF men were hospitalized. Kumar said that militants managed to escape after the attack.
Soon after the incident, additional reinforcement of police and CRPF men reached the spot and cordoned off the area. The joint party of police and CRPF carried out searches of the residential houses, however nobody was arrested.
Police identified the wounded CRPF men as: Mona Ram Belt No: 981390807, Vinod Yadaw Belt No: 045022527, Daweder Singh Belt No: 031484348, Doshant Yadaw Belt No: 045021958, Hosh Ram Belt No: 045269579, Head Constable Omkar Singh and driver Anil Sexana.
The firing, according police sources, continued for less than five minutes. The residents went helter shelter and stayed indoors for quite some time.
Residents alleged excesses by CRPF during the search operation that followed the attack. They alleged that the CRPF men damaged the windowpanes of some residential houses in the area. However, PRO CRPF denied the charges and said his troopers exercised maximum restraint while dealing with the situation.
Some eyewitnesses said that prior to the shootout there was some altercation between the CRPF men in the area. However, officials refused to comment on it.
Later Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar Syed Aashiq Hussain Bukhari and other police officials visited the spot and took stock of situation.
The SSP said that police have started investigations. “There was no concrete lead about the attackers,” he added.

IF, IM OWN ATTACK
 Militant outfit Islamic Front has claimed the responsibility for Khanyar attack. A caller identifying himself as the spokesman of the Islamic Front told Greater Kashmir over telephone that cadres from their outfit carried out the attack near Khanyar in which CRPF men were wounded.
 Pertinently, an Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Sukhpal Singh Belt No. 4193/S, posted at Police Post-Bagyas-Chattabal was shot dead on April 20 and the same outfit had claimed the responsibility for the attack.
 Meanwhile, according to local news gathering agency KNS, a spokesperson of Islamic Movement of Kashmir, Omar Mukhtar said on phone that its militants carried out the attack at Rainawari. He also claimed that the outfit will keep carrying out such attacks in future.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 31 May 2012 00:00:00 IST