Fatalities on rise as terror gets sniper fire in Kashmir valley

Dreaded Jaish-e-Mohammad has introduced a new element of 'sniping attacks' to inflict casualties on the security forces in Kashmir valley, without getting exposed.

There have been at least three sniping attacks in the last few weeks at the security forces in Kashmir, latest being the killing of the Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in Srinagar on Friday night.

Police said terrorists carried out a "standoff" fire at the grid Station Wagoora in Nowgam in which ASI of CISF sustained serious gunshot wounds. The attack was successfully repulsed by the alert sentry at the spot.

"The injured ASI was evacuated to the hospital for medical attention where he succumbed. The martyred ASI has been identified as Rajendra Prasad," said a police spokesman.

Later Jaish-e-Mohammad spokesman Mohammad Hassan told a local news agency that their cadres carried out a sniper and grenade attack on a CISF check post in Wagoora, Nowgam killing an officer and wounding others.

Sniping attacks are targeted fire by terrorists using a modified gun mounted with a lens to identify and hit the targets from a distance.

Inspector General of CRPF, Srinagar, Ravideep Sahi told DNA that the way the incidents have taken places in the last few days indicate they may be the sniper hits.

"The way the incidents have taken place over the last five-six days indicate these may be sniper hits. It is not a problem," he said.

Sahi said they are ready for the challenge and would counter these tactics effectively. "Even a sniper needs a place close to the camp to fire. We will sanitise the area around our camps effectively to stop such kind of hits," he said.

Security forces are planning to intensify the patrolling and area domination, particularly around the campsite to thwart the standoff attacks and keep terrorists at bay.

"We have a strategy in place and we will meet the challenge. We will intensify the area domination around our camps. Vulnerable points will be sanitised and area domination will be intensified," he said.

The sniper attacks come against the backdrop of huge successes achieved by the security against the terrorists in the last few days.

Around 10 terrorists were gunned down in a renewed offensive in the last three days across Kashmir. Of whom six terrorists were killed in two different operations in North and South Kashmir on Thursday. On Wednesday, two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists were killed in an encounter at Nowgam in Srinagar outskirts. Four soldiers were also killed in different incidents during the last three days.

Sniper Sttacks

• Sniping attacks are targeted fire by terrorists using a modified gun mounted with a lens to identify and hit the targets from a distance. 
• There have been at least three sniping attacks by terrorists at the security forces in Kashmir valley in the last few weeks.