Four militants killed in Bandipora gunbattle, says Police

Srinagar: Four unidentified fidayeen militants were killed in Bandipora gunbattle in the wee hours of Monday morning, police said.

Deputy Inspector General of Police North Kashmir Range, Nitesh Kumar, said that four militants attempted to carry a fidayeen attack on a CRPF camp in Sumbal in Bandipora.

“Few militants fired on the CRPF camp and the alert security guard retailed the fire. Immediately, police and army rushed to the spot and a gunbattle broke out in which four militants were killed,” Kumar told reporters.

“The identity and affiliation of the slain militants is being investigated as a case has been filed into the incident,” he said.

The DIG said that the militants were attempting to carry out a fidayeen attack on the camp.

“Police recovered patrol cans from the militants possession which suggests that they will have set fire to the camp,” he said.

Earlier, the police said that the militants attacked the CRPF camp which is the Headquarter of 45th Battalion of the CRPF in North Kashmir.

Confirming the incident and the killing of four militants, J&K DGP Shesh Paul Vaid tweeted, “45 Bn @crpfindia/@JmuKmrPolice killed 4 terrorists at Sumbal #Bandipore who were attempting suicidal attack on CRPF camp.”

After the killings of militants in Bandipora gunbattle, clashes erupted between protesters and government forces in the area as agitated youth took to streets and pelted stones on Police Station Sumbal to protest the killing of four militants. Also, a complete shutdown was observed in Sumbal against the killings.

Authorities suspended all cellular networks and mobile internet, except the BSNL phones, sources said. (With KNS Inputs)