Militants attack SSB convoy in Srinagar, 4 hurt

Srinagar:Four personnel of paramilitary force SSB were injured this evening when militants attacked their convoy in Zakura area on the outskirts of Srinagar.

Militants fired at the vehicles of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) which were ferrying the personnel to their camp after performing law and order duties in the city, a security force official said.

He said four SSB personnel sustained injuries in the attack. The injured have been admitted to a hospital for treatment.

Security forces immediately cordoned off the area and launched search operations to track down the militants.

This is the first militant attack in the city since the encounter at Nowhatta on August 15 in which a CRPF commandant was killed and nine other personnel were injured.

Western Army commander reviews operational readiness

Jammu:General officer Commanding-in-Chief (GoC-in-C) of the Western Command, Lt Gen Surinder Singh reviewed the operational readiness of the field formations in Pathankot, Samba and Jammu.

Lt Gen Singh visited field formations in Pathankot, Samba and Jammu region including forward areas for two days on October 13 and 14, a defense spokesman said.

While reviewing the operational readiness of formations in the border areas, he held detailed interactions and deliberations with the commanders and troops.

The general officer appreciated the high state of operational readiness and high morale of the troops.

He exhorted all troops to remain alert and operationally ready and emphasized the need to ensure foolproof security measures, the spokesman said.

Security forces to resume counter-terror ops in Kashmir

Srinagar: In the wake of spurt in attacks, army and other security forces will resume counter-terror operations besides enhancing protective measures at key installations and stepping up vigil in the hinterland in Jammu and Kashmir.

The decisions were taken today at a security review meeting chaired by Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra and attended by Northern Army Commander Lt Gen D S Hooda, Commander of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen S K Dua, Director General of state police K Rajendra Kumar and senior officers of CRPF and Intelligence Bureau.

The meeting reviewed the situation consequent to the terror attack at Pampore in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, which ended two days back after three days.

“It was recalled that after the Pathankot terror attack, it had been decided, during the then period of Governor’s Rule, that a Multi-Agency Security Audit shall be conducted by the state police in close collaboration with the IB, Central Armed Police Force, Army, Air Force and other concerned agencies.

“In this context, and in the background of the terror attacks at Poonch, Uri, Handwara and, most recently at Pampore, it was agreed that surveillance should be enhanced not only along the IB and LoC, as already done, but also in the entire hinterland, counter-terrorist operations should be resumed and, side by side, identified steps should be taken to safeguard and effectively ensure the safety and security of all civil and military vital installations and establishments in the state,” an official spokesman said.

Two militants took shelter inside a government building in Pampore, 16 kms from here, on Monday, triggering an encounter with security forces which lasted for 56 hours before both the militants were killed.

PTI