SRINAGAR: At least one trooper of the Border Security Force (BSF) was killed and another injured when suspected militants opened fire on an Indian army camp in India-held Kashmir on Sunday night, reported the Hindustan Times.
“One BSF man has been killed and another injured,” said Imtiyaz Hussain Mir, senior police superintendent of Baramulla town. The paramilitary soldiers hit by gunfire were also stationed at the camp, a police officer said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to reporters.
What we know
- Suspected militants attacked Baramulla camp near Srinagar in IHK
- One BSF man killed, another injured
- Situation is "contained" says Indian Army Northern Command
The attack on the camp of India's 46 Rashtriya Rifles in Baramulla, which also houses a unit of the Border Security Force (BSF), started at around 10:30 pm and repeated exchanges of fire ensued.
The suspected militants threw grenades and opened fire with automatic weapons.
The attackers tried to enter the camp through a public park, reported the Times of India. They then took positions on the banks of the Jhelum river, the Bandipora police control room said.
Read: The blinding spiral in Kashmir
Police officer Syed Javeid Mujataba Gillani said earlier, however, that it was not immediately known whether the militants tried to enter the camp.
The Indian Army's Northern Command said the situation is "contained and under control", without saying whether any suspected militants had been killed or captured.
A senior police official speaking on customary condition of anonymity said on Monday that search operations were on at the base.
The camp is located in Janbazpora on the outskirts of Baramulla city, 54 km from capital Srinagar. The city of Baramulla is a garrison town and has a heavy presence of Indian security forces.
Soaring tensions
Earlier in September, in one of the worst episodes of cross-border firing along the Line of Control, at least two Pakistan Army soldiers were killed as Indian troops opened fire on the first line of defence.
India also claimed to have performed a surgical strike by crossing the disputed boundary. The Indian claims were rubbished by Pakistan Army.
Later it emerged that an Indian soldier was captured by the Pakistan army, while Indian soldiers were also killed in the episode of firing across the LoC.
Also read: Pak-India media war
An Indian army official based in New Delhi said, “It is confirmed one soldier from 37 Rashtriya Rifles with weapons has inadvertently crossed over to the Pakistan side of the Line of Control”.
Attack on Pathankot
At least seven Indian armed forces personnel were killed when suspected militants attacked an Indian air force base at Pathankot in January this year.
Four suspected militants were also killed in the fighting.
The attack by gunmen disguised as soldiers came a week after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unscheduled visit to Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in an effort to revive talks between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
Pakistan condemned the attack and said it wanted to continue to build on the goodwill created by the impromptu meeting between Modi and Sharif.
