SRINAGAR: A sub-inspector of paramilitary CRPF was killed and another jawan injured after militants attacked their vehicle at Pantha chowk area in Srinagar on Srinagar-Jammu national highway on Saturday.
Lashkar-e-Toiba has claimed responsibility of the attack.
Sources said two militants armed with AK-47 rifles fired on a CRPF vehicle at Pantha Chowk area near Delhi Public School (DPS) on Srinagar-Jammu national highway in Srinagar, about 8 kms from city centre Lal Chowk, at around 5.45 pm.
They said the militants fired from AK-47 rifles towards the CRPF vehicle in which paramilitary personnel were sitting.
CRPF spokesman in Srinagar, Rajesh Yadav, told New Indian Express that driver of the CRPF vehicle and Sub Inspector sustained bullet injuries in the militant attack.
The injured security personnel were evacuated to nearby army hospital, where CRPF Sub Inspector identified as Sahib Shukla succumbed to injuries.
Yadav said constable driver Nisar Ahmad is undergoing treatment in the hospital.
The CRPF men also retaliated but the militants managed to escape after carrying out the attack.
“They escaped through DPS school,” Yadav said adding a reinforcement of police, CRPF and army reached the spot immediately after the attack to launch a manhunt to track down the militants.
The police, CRPF and Army men conducted cordon and search operation in the DPS school to ensure that the militants were not hiding there.
The security personnel conducted searches in the school buildings.
“Till late evening, no contact was established with the militants,” CRPF spokesman said.
He, however, said the combing and search operation is going on.
After the militant attack, the traffic on Srinagar-Jammu highway from Pantha route was suspended.
Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba claimed responsibility for the attack.
Lashkar spokesman, Dr Abdullah Ghaznavi said militants of the outfit attacked CRPF party at Pantha Chowk on Srinagar-Jammu highway.
He claimed that three CRPF men were killed in the attack and several others injured.
It was second militant attack on security forces in Srinagar.
On June 16, a policeman was killed and another injured when Lashkar-e-Toiba militants attacked their patrol part at Hyderpora on Srinagar airport road.