Three CRPF Personnel Injured in Kulgam Terror Attack
Central Reserve Police Force personnel were injured in a shoot-and-scoot attack in Kulgam, prompting security crackdowns and political disputes over national security.
Unidentified assailants opened fire on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) checkpoint in the Akhran area of Kulgam district, Jammu and Kashmir, on Wednesday afternoon. The attackers fired approximately 30 rounds within 15 seconds before fleeing the scene. Three personnel—Head Constable Somveer Singh, Constable Rakesh Dass, and Constable Santosh Chandru—were injured and transported to Government Medical College, Anantnag. Reports indicate Head Constable Singh sustained serious injuries to his legs and spine.
Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the act and granted security forces a free hand to crack down on terrorists. In response, security was heightened across the region, including increased vehicle frisking in Srinagar and intensified vigilance along the Jammu–Srinagar and Jammu–Pathankot National Highways. While some reports identified the assailants as motorcycle-borne, local police disputed the use of a bike. The Lashkar-e-Taiba is suspected of orchestrating the operation.
Lieutenant General (Retd) KJS Dhillon characterized the incident as a desperate act by Pakistan to divert attention from its own internal political instability. Former Director General of Police SP Vaid noted that while local recruitment into terror ranks has declined, the attack suggests continued local support for foreign terrorists. Politically, Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh criticized the Central Government and the BJP, questioning the effectiveness of the intelligence network and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
