M A I N   N E W S

Two BSF men killed in J-K militant attack
Majid Jahangir
Tribune News Service

Srinagar/Pulwama, August 16
Two BSF personnel were killed and four others injured as militants ambushed their vehicle near the Indian Air Force’s Awantipora airbase today.

The attack, fourth in south Kashmir within a week, took place at Koil village of Pulwama district, 35 km from Srinagar, when a lone Border Security Force (BSF) vehicle guarding the airbase was passing through the area at 2.40 pm. The vehicle was attacked barely a kilometre from the highly secured airbase, which is guarded by two battalions of the BSF.

Sources said militants, numbering between two and four, opened fire with automatic rifles on the vehicle from both sides of the road and the firing continued for around six minutes. "The vehicle was on its way back from a nearby post guarding the IAF's Awantipora base,” a source said, adding that all inmates were hit. The deceased have been identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector Rudal Yadav and Head Constable Saubedar Singh Yadav of 165 Batallion BSF. The four injured were shifted to Army’s 92 base hospital in Srinagar and two are stated to be critical. The police, Army and CRPF reached the spot to nab the militants, but they fled the spot.

(With inputs from Farooz Ahmad Bhat)