Reasi (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], November 11 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Health Minister Sakeena Itoo on Wednesday condemned the firing incident in Kulgam district in which three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured, calling for strengthened security to prevent such attacks.
"It is a truly unfortunate event; no amount of expressed grief is enough. Such incidents should not happen. I believe that maintaining stable conditions is in everyone’s best interest. There is no place for such attacks here. Security needs to be strengthened and improved so that incidents like this do not occur," she told the media.
Meanwhile, defence expert Sanjeev Srivastava said the situation remained fluid and that security forces had cordoned off the area and launched a search operation for the assailants.
"Today, in Kulgam district in Jammu and Kashmir, unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle attacked a CRPF checkpoint in which CRPF personnel were injured. They have been shifted to a hospital in the Anantnag district for treatment. No terrorist organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. The situation remains fluid and is still evolving; the entire area where the attack took place has been cordoned off by security forces, and a search operation for the assailants is underway.
He alleged that the attack demonstrated the continued activities of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
"This incident clearly demonstrates that the apparatus of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism continues to hatch conspiracies against India. Terrorists are still actively plotting to cause harm to India and carry out further attacks," Srivastava said.
"Such incidents are taken very seriously. The facts surrounding this latest attack are currently being verified, and India will undoubtedly take the strictest possible action at an appropriate time against whichever terrorist organisation is found responsible. Any terrorist organisation or assailant responsible for this incident will be gunned down and neutralised," he added.
Meanwhile, security has been put on high alert across Kulgam following the attack. A forensic team also visited the spot in Akhran, where the firing took place, and collected samples and other evidence as part of the investigation.
Three CRPF personnel were injured after unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire on security personnel deployed at a naka in Kulgam district on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the CRPF, the incident took place at around 2:15 pm when the assailants fired at personnel deployed at the security checkpoint. The attackers fled soon after the firing.
"There has been firing on CRPF Naka at Kulgam, Kashmir. Three personnel injured. Operations are going on to nab the perpetrators and best possible treatment is being provided to the injured personnel," the CRPF said in a statement.
The injured personnel were shifted to Government Medical College (GMC), Anantnag, for treatment. Multi-agency search operations were launched to track down the attackers, an official said.
The three injured personnel have been identified as Head Constable Somveer Singh and Constables Rakesh Dass and Santosh Chandru. Of them, two sustained minor injuries, while the condition of the third was stated to be slightly serious, the official said.
Chandru, a resident of West Bengal, sustained injuries to his abdomen and spine, while Constable Rakesh Dass, who hails from Assam, suffered a bullet injury to his leg. Head Constable Somveer Singh, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, sustained a bullet injury to his arm. Dass and Singh were stated to be stable.
The investigation and search operation to identify and apprehend the attackers are underway. (ANI)
“No place for such attacks here”: J-K Health Minister Sakeena Itoo condemns Kulgam firing, calls for tight security measures
