4 militants killed in suicide attack on CRPF camp in J&K

Srinagar, June 5 (IANS) The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Monday foiled an early morning suicide attack on one of its camps in Bandipora district in Jammu and Kashmir. Four militants were killed.

The "foreign terrorists" failed to breach the camp's security as they were neutralised near the camp's fence, officials said.

CRPF Inspector General (IG) Ravideep Sahi told reporters the terrorists hurled grenades and used heavy volume of automatic gunfire to enter the camp around 4.35 a.m.

The four terrorists, who were foreigners, were engaged in a gunfight which lasted for nearly an hour. The exact identity of the attackers is being establishede.

"the alert sentries were joined by Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel in immediate retaliation. The four terrorists, who were foreigners, although their exact identity is being established, were engaged in a gunfight that lasted nearly an hour," Sethi said.

"They were neutralised 10-15 yards away from the camp's fencing," he added.

The CRPF camp in Sumbal town is 34 km away from Srinagar.

A Jammu and Kashmir Police spokesman said four AK rifles, one under-barrel grenade launcher and some ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of police (DGP) S.P. Vaid tweeted about the incident, commending the alertness of CRPF troopers and the state police.

"The fidayeen militants kept firing as they tried to enter the camp. The attack was effectively repulsed by the CRPF sentry and Sumbal police," CRPF Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran told IANS.

Luckily, no loss was reported from the CRPF side, he added.

The Sumbal camp of the CRPF is the headquarters of the 45th Battalion which was headed by Chetan Kumar Cheeta, who survived despite taking nine bullets while fighting militants in Bandipora in 2016.