2 jawans, 2 Army porters killed in militant attack in J&K’s Baramulla

In a separate incident, a non-local worker was fired upon and injured in Pulwama, as the Valley witnessed a sudden spurt in militants attacks in the past one week.

Militants attacked an Army convoy, which left two jawans and two porters dead and three others injured, in north Kashmir’s Baramulla on Thursday (October 24, 2024). In a separate incident, a non-local worker was fired upon and injured in south Kashmir’s Pulwama, as the Valley witnessed a sudden spurt in militants attacks in the past one week.

Initial reports suggest an Army convoy came under fire from the militants hiding in forests in Baramulla. An official said the incident took place near Nagin Post of the Butapathri Sector of Baramulla district. The area is close to the Line of Control (LoC) as well as the tourist spot of Gulmarg.

Two Army jawans and two porters have died in the incident, an official said. Three injured Army personnel were shifted to hospital. Reinforcements have been rushed to the attack site to throw multi-layer cordon to trap the militants, officials said.

The Army and the police have not officially confirmed the casualties.

Official sources identified the deceased porters as Mushtaq Ahmed Choudhary, a resident of Nowshera, Boniyar, and Zahoor Ahmed Mir, of Barnate Boniyar.

“Very unfortunate news about the attack on the Army vehicles. This recent spate of attacks in Kashmir is a matter of serious concern. I condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms and send my condolences to the loved ones of the people who lost their lives,” J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said.

In a separate incident, Shubam Kumar, 19, son of Pritambar Singh, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor, was fired upon and left injured by suspected militants in the morning in Batagund village of Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama. Officials said the victim sustained a bullet injury in his hand. His condition was described as “stable” in the hospital. Security forces cordoned off the area after the attack but could not trace the attackers. Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq termed such attacks on unarmed civilians in Kashmir as “un-Islamic”.

It’s the third attack in Kashmir Valley on non-locals in the past one week. Eight civilians, one non-local in south Kashmir’s Shopian on October 18, 2024 and seven in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal on October 20, 2024 were killed in two separate attacks by militants.

The series of attacks have posed a major security challenge for the government. J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level meeting of the Unified Headquarters (UHQ) on Thursday (October 24, 2024), which was attended by top officials of the security wings, including the police, Army, CRPF, BSF, intelligence etc. Official sources said the meeting discussed “strategies to prevent further incidents” in Kashmir. Northern Army commander Lt. Gen. M. V. Suchindra Kumar, who also held a separate review of the security situation in the Kashmir valley, asked the forces “to remain vigilant”.

In Srinagar, where hundreds of non-local labourers stay in residential areas, a security review was held by Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr. Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat and Senior Superintendent of Police Srinagar, Imtiyaz Hussain. The meeting stressed on security audits of the ongoing key infrastructural projects in Srinagar and round the clock checkpoints at specific points and night patrolling.

“Measures to enhance the security arrangements in Srinagar district were also discussed,” officials said.

Non-local workers start leaving ahead of winter,

Meanwhile, scores of non-local workers have started leaving the valley because of the onset of winter. There is concern about the attacks but the workers expressed confidence to stay back and work. “I have been working in Kashmir for the past three decades. I never felt insecure. Workers leave every year when winters set in and return by spring or summer. This is a routine,” a non-local worker, putting up in Srinagar’s Hawal area, said.

In a separate incident, the police said a grenade went off accidentally inside the Malkhana Court Complex in Baramulla, which left one police personnel on duty injured.

Meanwhile, the BJP general secretary Ashok Koul has opposed talks with Pakistan. “If Gagangir-like incidents remain happening, the authorities will decide the restoration of statehood to J&K on the inputs of security agencies. Pakistan is spreading terrorism and there is no need to talk to them. Let Pakistan stop spreading terrorism and hand over the wanted terrorists like Hizbul Mujahideen commander Syed Salahudin, we will talk to them,” J&K Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Ashok Koul said.

Published - October 24, 2024 08:44 pm IST