Two days prior to a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, a teenager approached a CRPF checkpoint and issued a warning to the personnel stationed there. The warning has come under scrutiny following Wednesday's attack that left three soldiers injured. Authorities are attempting to trace the student, believed to be in Class 10, to determine whether his threat had any connection with the shooting incident.
On Wednesday, armed terrorists emerged from a wooded area and opened fire on the CRPF post near Mir Bazar around 2:15 PM, injuring three personnel, one critically. The checkpoint is situated approximately 75 km from Srinagar and close to the strategic Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
Security agencies suspect the involvement of Mohammed Lateef Bhat, a local LeT commander, in the attack. While the identity of the attackers remains unconfirmed, initial reports suggested they had arrived on a motorcycle. However, subsequent investigations revealed that no two-wheeler was involved, and the terrorists approached the post on foot.
The three injured CRPF personnel were rushed to a hospital in Anantnag district, around 22 km from the attack site. Two of them sustained relatively minor injuries, while one received severe abdominal wounds. Despite being caught off guard and sustaining injuries, the CRPF personnel managed to retaliate and chase the attackers, preventing further casualties.
Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a massive search operation to apprehend the attackers. Additional security measures have been implemented in the region, including the erection of barricades, deployment of armored vehicles, and announcements over loudspeakers urging residents to stay indoors.
The growing frustration among terror outfits operating in the region, which are finding it difficult to strike due to heightened security measures, is reflected in this attack, according to security officials. Kulgam has been witnessing a series of security-related incidents recently, such as the killing of two laborers from Chhattisgarh at a brick kiln on July 31 and the shooting of a police constable in Anantnag earlier in the month.
Political leaders have expressed their concerns over the recurring incidents of violence despite official claims that terrorism has been eradicated. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah questioned the administration's assertions of normalcy in the Union Territory, while PDP president Mehbooba Mufti condemned the attack and wished the injured personnel a speedy recovery.