Over 200 rounds fired in Pampore attack: CRPF chief

Giving out details of ambush on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pampore which left eight personnel dead, Director-General of the paramilitary force, K. Durga Prasad, on Monday said over 200 rounds of ammunition was fired upon their bus.

Asserting that they were in the process of discussing the steps needed to improve upon their existing practices, Durga Prasad said that CRPF personnel swiftly retaliated and neutralized two of the terrorists.

"Officers and men of 161 battalion had gone to a training centre there for annual practice. They were returning in the evening. Around 1645 hours in Pampore area, they were in four vehicles. First one was a truck, behind it was a bus with 45 persons, behind that was Swaraj mazda and behind that was vajra, this was the configuration on convoy," he said at a press briefing.

"At a turning, when the truck was crossing, it was fired upon by two militants who got down from a car. By the time they open fire the truck had passed through and the bus came under direct attack. It looks like they fired more than 200 rounds . The magazines and the weapons recovered indicate, they were 11 in number. Calculating by the shells and left over magazines, they fired more than 200 rounds," he added.

He said the CRPF's brave personnel quickly took position and fired back at the terrorist, adding that a nearby bunker also came to their aid.

"In retaliation, there was firing from the bus from our officers and men and the bunker. It was on the ROP duty there, moving up and down, which was coming down right behind this bus took position and fired. Both the militants were neutralized ,but in the process eight of our bravehearts and 22 others were injured," he said.

"They were rushed to hospital . Five of them were operated upon , one of them has come out of the ventilator , four are still on ventilator while will come out today evening. Out of all, one is in serious condition," he added.

Saturday's attack was the fourth one on the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir this month. At least 17 security personnel were killed and several others injured in the last three major strikes along the Jammu-Srinagar Highway during the period.

Officials say infiltration has dramatically gone up compared to the previous year with more than 50 terrorists crossing the border in the last five months. Last year, there was zero infiltration in the first four months.