SRINAGAR: Three BSF personnel were killed and nine others injured when militants of Hizbul Mujahideen attacked their convoy on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway near Bijbehara in South Kashmir on Friday.
The deceased BSF men were identified as head constable Girish Kumar Shukla, constable Mahinder Ram and havaldar Dinesh. Police sources said a heavily-armed group of militants fired from automatic weapons towards a BSF vehicle, which was part of a convoy at Goriwan, Bijbehara, near Sub District Hospital in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district at around 4.30 pm.
BSF spokesman Vishwa Bandhu told Express that three BSF men were killed in the militant attack and nine others sustained injuries. “Two of the injured sustained critical injuries while seven others suffered minor injuries,” he said. The BSF spokesman said the injured jawans were hospitalised and the two-critically injured were now out of danger. He said the convoy was coming from Srinagar to Jammu when it was attacked by the militants.
Pro-Pakistan militant group Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the attack. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has strongly condemned the militant attack on the BSF vehicle. The CM spoke to DG BSF K K Sharma and expressed her anguish and sorrow over the death of BSF personnel in the attack. Mehbooba said such senseless attack is a desperate attempt by the elements inimical to peace to derail the peace efforts of the government and subvert the rejuvenating economic activity in the State.
She expressed solidarity with the bereaved families of the security forces personnel. In New Delhi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed deep anguish and pain at the incident and asked BSF Director General K K Sharma to rush to the spot to take stock of the situation.