Before Kulgam attack, boy warned CRPF personnel, 'Won't spare you'
What's the story
Two days before a terrorist attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) checkpoint in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, on Wednesday, a young boy had issued a warning to the personnel. The boy, believed to be a Class 10 student, approached the post and said, "Hum tumhe chhodenge nahi" (We will not spare you), sources told India Today. The threat was initially dismissed by the CRPF personnel.
Attack details
One jawan critically injured in attack
But following Wednesday's attack, police are trying to find out who the boy was and ascertain whether his threat had any connection with the firing.
Terrorists opened fire at the same CRPF checkpoint near Mir Bazar in Kulgam district after 2:00pm on Wednesday. The attack left three jawans injured, one of them critically after being shot in the abdomen and spine.
The checkpoint is strategically located about 75km from Srinagar and less than a kilometer from the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
Attack strategy
Investigators examining CCTV footage to trace terrorists
Security agencies suspect involvement of Mohammed Lateef Bhat, a local commander of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit, who had earlier escaped a security operation in Shopian in July.
Initial reports suggested the terrorists arrived on a motorcycle, but joint search operations by security agencies confirmed they approached on foot from a forested area.
According to officials, two attackers approached the post on foot from a forested patch about 50 meters away, with one opening fire, and the other providing cover.
Retaliation efforts
Jawans chased attackers after getting shot at
After the attack, they fled toward Naupur using the same tree cover.
A Motorola mobile phone and SIM card were recovered from the area. Investigators are now checking CCTV footage to trace their movements.
Despite being injured, all three CRPF personnel retaliated and chased the attackers. Their prompt response prevented further casualties and damage, a CRPF source told India Today.
The injured were rushed to a hospital in Anantnag district.