E-Paper
J&K terror attack: Army operation continues in Gulmarg
People’s Anti-Fascist Front, which police believe is the front of the Jaish terror outfit, claimed responsibility for the attack and warned of more attacks in the future
Searches continued in the forests of Gulmarg and Butapathri to trace the militants responsible for an attack on army vehicles on Thursday evening at Nagin Butapathri area of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. The attack left two soldiers and two porters dead and three soldiers injured.
People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), which police believe is the front of the Jaish terror outfit, claimed responsibility for the attack and warned of more attacks in the future. They even released a picture of an Indian Army vehicle that was targeted in the forests of Butapathri.
As a precautionary measure, the Gulmarg Gondola was stopped in the morning, however, in the afternoon, the ropeway was thrown open for tourists.
Police and army patrols searched the forest area to trace the attackers. Officials privy to information believe, that after targeting the army vehicles, the militants took shelter in the forest. “The searches are underway. It’s a vast forest range connecting with LoC on one side, Uri and Baramulla on the other and Budgam on the other side. We are hopeful to trace the attackers,” said a senior officer.
LG Sinha pays homage to soldiers, porters
Lieutenant governor (LG) Manoj Sinha laid a wreath and paid homage to Rifleman Jeevan Singh, Rifleman Kaisar Ahmad Shah and Defence Porters Mushtaq Ahmad Chowdary and Zahoor Ahmad Mir, who lost their lives.
The lieutenant governor posted on X: “Paid homage to the brave soldiers and Defence Porters who made the supreme sacrifice in the service to the nation in Butapathri Sector on October 24, 2024. India will never forget their selfless service & their supreme sacrifice. We stand in solidarity with the bereaved families.”
Thursday’s ambush was the latest in a string of terror attacks in J&K after its first elected government since the revocation of Article 370 in 2019 was sworn in last week. On Sunday, seven people were killed when terrorists opened fire on a construction site camp in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. On October 18, Ashok Chauhan, a 37-year-old migrant labourer from Bihar, was shot dead by suspected terrorists in Shopian district.
The attacks have ruptured the fragile peace maintained in J&K during the polling cycle and renewed security concerns in a region embroiled in gunfights throughout the year.
