After New Year eve fidayeen attack on CRPF camp in south Kashmir, the security agencies in Valley are apprehending more fidayeen attacks by Jaish-e-Mohammad militants and have increased the security around the security installations.
“Yes, there is apprehension of Fidayeen attack on security force camps in the Valley,” IG CRPF Ravideep Singh Sahi told New Kashmir Post.
He said there are also chances of militants carrying out grenade lobbing and hit-and-run attacks on security forces.
“With Republic Day approaching, there are chances that militants may resort to attacks,” IG CRPF said.
He said the security of camps has been reviewed after the New Year eve fidayeen attack on CRPF camp by three Jaish-e-Mohammad militants, two of whom were locals.
Five CRPF men including an officer and three attackers were killed in the 36-hour-long encounter.
“We have carried out security review of the camps. The review process is continuous in view of challenges being faced,” IG CRPF said adding, “The security is changed taking into note the modus operandi adopted by the militants.”
He said the security apparatus would be beefed up to foil any militant attacks.
Sources said three militants who launched fidayeen attack on CRPF camp at Lethpora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on December 31 belonged to Afzal Guru Squad of Jaish.
“The Afzal Guru Squad was written in one of the AK-47 rifle of the militants killed in the 36-hour encounter in CRPF camp,” they said.
According to sources, the militants who had participated in District Police Lines Pulwama and Airport fidayeen attacks last year had also written Afzal Guru squad on the wall and warned of taking revenge of Afzal Guru’s killing.
A senior police official said a group of Jaish militants is on run and they may be planning another fidayeen attack on security installations in the Valley.
He said they have got inputs that Jaish militants are planning revenge attacks against killing of Afzal Guru, who was secretly hanged in Delhi’s Tihar for his role in 2001 parliament attack case, and Noor Mohammad Tantray alias Noor Trali, an f-ft Jaish commander who was killed by security forces last month.
Noor, 46, used to look after logistics of local and foreign militants of Jaish and was the brain behind two fidayeen attacks in Valley this year in which nine security personnel were killed.
“We have advised the security men to remain on high alert. The security of camps has been beefed up and patrolling in sensitive and vulnerable areas intensified,” the official said.
