SRINAGAR: One CRPF jawan was killed and another injured in a terror strike close to the Srinagar city police headquarters in Batamaloo on Tuesday. Terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes 40 days after journalist Shujaat Bukhari was gunned down near Lal Chowk area on June 14.

“Terrorists opened fire at the on-duty security personnel near the fire services department in Batamaloo, in which two CRPF jawans were injured. They were rushed to a hospital where Constable Shanker Lal of CRPF’s 23 Batallion succumbed,” said a police spokesperson. Taking advantage of the crowded vicinity, the assailants managed to escape, the spokesperson added.

The attack, a first of its kind, took place near the civil secretariat where Jammu and Kashmir governor N N Vohra, his advisors and dozens of other bureaucrats run the state administration. Several top cops, including ADGP (law and order) Munir Khan, IG (Kashmir range) S P Pani and SSP (Srinagar) Imtiyaz Parray also function from the Batamaloo police headquarters.

“Police have registered a case and are probing into the attack. Check-posts have been installed across the city and vehicles are being searched,” said a senior police officer. Shortly after the attack, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation, but no arrests have been made so far. Security has been stepped up at the civil secretariat and other places in the region following the strike.

Following the attack, DGP S P Vaid directed security forces to remain vigilant while performing their duty. “The cops need to remain vigilant in future to thwart the designs of subversive elements as they would attempt to create disturbances in the state. We have to remain abreast with the changing scenario and adopt new methods of policing to counter the challenges,” Vaid told police personnel, according to sources.

