SRINAGAR: In the third attack on security forces at Srinagar in three days, militants on Monday attacked a CRPF vehicle at Pantha Chowk area on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, killing one paramilitary jawan, while injuring five other personnel and a girl.
CRPF spokesman in Srinagar Rajesh Yadav told New Indian Express that militants fired from automatic weapons towards a moving CRPF vehicle on Srinagar-Jammu highway at Sempora, Pantha Chowk area in outskirts of Srinagar this afternoon.
The fire was returned by the paramilitary personnel.
The exchange of fire continued for some minutes.
Six CRPF men and a school girl were injured in the brief encounter.
The firing incident caused panic in the area with people running helter-skelter and traffic came to a halt.
The CRPF men injured in the militant attack were rushed to the army hospital, where one of the critically injured identified as Head Constable Basappa of 96 bn CRPF succumbed to injuries.
The doctors have termed condition of one of the injured jawan as critical.
The girl, who was hit by bullet in leg, was evacuated to Bone and Joints Hospital.
The injured CRPF men were identified as Constable Bhoor Singh Meena, Head Constable Devdas Kawle, Constable Bharat Bharti, Constable Rambabu and Constable Dwarka Prasad.
Yadav said the CRPF vehicle was on its way to Srinagar for poll duty when it was attacked by militants.
About 200 additional CRPF companies have been rushed to Kashmir to perform election duty for bypolls to two parliamentary seats in the Valley.
After the grenade attack, police and CPRF men laid siege around the area and conducted combing and search operation. However, no arrests were reported during the operation.
Top police, CRPF and army officials also visited the spot to take stock of the situation.
The vehicular traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu highway remained affected for about an hour.
The pakistan-based militant outfit, Lashkar-e-Toiba has claimed responsibility of the attack.
It was the third militant attack on security forces in Srinagar in three days.
On Sunday, a policeman was killed and 11 security men injured when militants lobbed a grenade towards security deployment at Nowhatta area of downtown Srinagar.
On Saturday, militants attacked an army convoy near a hospital at Bemina in Srinagar. Three army men were injured in the attack.
J&K Director General of Police S P Vaid said additional security measures would be put in place in Srinagar after strikes by militants.
He said the security apparatus has been intensified after the militant attacks.
The bypolls for Srinagar Lok Sabha seat will be held on April 9.