Kashmir: 4 terrorists killed, 10 security personnel martyred, 14 other injured in 7 days

Security forces in the state of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered 10 casualties in the last seven days while eliminating four terrorists in two districts of Anantnag and Pulwama.

The latest casualty came in Anantnag where security forces gunned down Sajjad Maqbool Bhat and Tawseef Ahmad Bhat, both affiliated with Jaish-e-Muhammad terror outfit, but rifleman Anil Kumar Jaswal also lost his life in the exchange of fire. Two army men were also injured in the gunbattle.

Army's Srinagar based spokesperson while confirming the killing of two terrorists said that "Sajjad was the one who managed the vehicle for Pulwama 14 Feb CRPF IED incident," adding that Tauseef was his handler.

Jammu and Kashmir police while giving details about the slain, said that "as per the material evidence collected during the course of the investigation it was learned that Maruti Eco vehicle used for carrying out the blast in Lethpora was owned by one Sajad Bhat of Marhama. As the news of  Sajad’s involvement spread, he escaped and joined the proscribed terror outfit JeM."

In the morning, two Indian army soldiers who were injured in a VBIED - vehicle-borne improvised explosive device - attack on a Hardened ALS vehicle carrying army men in Arihal area of Pulwama district, succumbed at army's 92 base hospital in Srinagar. Although the police said 6 army men were hurt but sources say at least 9 of them suffered injuries. 

Sources in the police said that Sajad was also involved in Monday's IED attack in Pulwama. 

On the same day, Major Ketan Sharma died fighting terrorists in Anantnag while another Major rank officer and two other jawans suffered injuries, who are undergoing treatment. One foreign terrorist was also eliminated in the encounter. 

On 12th June, terrorists carried out a suicide attack on security forces deployed at KP road in Anantnag district, killing 5 CRPF personnel and injuring four others including a J&K police Inspector Arshad Khan, who later succumbed to his injuries at AIIMS New Delhi. One foreign terrorist was also shot dead while he was firing at the security forces. 

VBIED ATTACKS:

Yesterday's vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack in Pulwama was third of such nature. First, on 14 February, a Maruti ECO car was used by a local Jaish terrorist to target security forces convoy which resulted in the killing of 40 CRPF men at Lethpora. The incident triggered tension in the sub-continent as both India and Pakistan indulged in a dogfight. 

After Pulwama, yet another suicide attack was attempted in Banihal area in Ramban district on a CRPF convoy which was moving towards Jammu. According to sources, the attacker, at the final moment, changed his mind and left the car, which blasted without causing any major damage. Police later arrested the terrorist and his other associates in Kashmir. 

Arihal VBIED attack was the third such incident in J&K. This has raised an alarm in the security establishment, who were successful in minimizing collateral damage in encounters. The question here is that are the IEDs and VBIEDs making a comeback in the Kashmir valley?