Pune (Maharashtra), November 11: Defence expert Hemant Mahajan on Wednesday described the firing attack on CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district as a “shoot-and-scoot” operation, expressing confidence that the terrorists involved would be tracked down and killed in the next one to two weeks.

His remarks came after three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured when unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire on security personnel deployed at a naka (checkpoint) in Kulgam district.

Speaking to ANI in Pune, Mahajan said the attackers fired at the CRPF personnel before fleeing the spot, adding that such surprise attacks were intended to create an impression that the situation in the region was not normal.

“This terror attack, which took place in Kulgam on a CRPF picket, was a shoot-and-scoot kind of an attack. In the sense that the terrorists came in some kind of a vehicle, fired, injured CRPF jawans, and thereafter disappeared. I am not surprised by this kind of attack. Though I want to clarify here itself that this was a shoot-and-scoot kind of attack, meaning that if the terrorists had stayed put, they would have been killed. I have no doubt in my mind that in the next one to two weeks, they will be tracked down and killed,” he said.

Mahajan added that such incidents are meant to send a message.

“But this kind of surprise attack, intended to show that everything is not normal, will take place once in a while. It is a long haul as far as fighting terrorism backed by Pakistan is concerned. We have to be ready for it, and we have to be prepared,” Mahajan said.

Meanwhile, retired Captain and defence expert Anil Gaur termed the attack on the CRPF checkpoint unfortunate and said Kulgam and Shopian had remained major centres of terrorist activities since the 1990s.

Speaking to ANI in Jammu, Gaur said that although most terrorist activities in the region had been brought under control, some underground and overground workers were allegedly still operating.

“It is very unfortunate that this attack has taken place at a checkpoint, a naka established by the CRPF. These two motorcycle-borne terrorists arrived and opened fire on the CRPF personnel manning the naka. The CRPF personnel have been injured and have been hospitalised,” he said.

“The problem over there is that Kulgam and Shopian have been major centres of terrorist activities since the 1990s. Today, as we can see, most of these activities have been brought under control. However, some underground and overground workers are still operating there. They are allegedly on the payroll of Pakistan, and they are the ones who have now carried out this attack. It has been a long time since an attack of this kind took place, specifically targeting security forces,” Gaur added.

According to the force, the incident took place at around 2:15 pm on Wednesday when the motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire on CRPF personnel deployed at the checkpoint, located around four kilometres from the National Highway. The attackers fled the spot following the firing.

The CRPF said in a statement, “There has been firing on CRPF Naka at Kulgam, Kashmir. Three personnel injured. Operations are going on to nab the perpetrators, and best possible treatment is being provided to the injured personnel.”

The injured personnel were shifted to Government Medical College (GMC), Anantnag, for treatment, while multi-agency operations were launched to apprehend the attackers.

The injured personnel have been identified as Head Constable Somveer Singh and Constables Rakesh Dass and Santosh Chandru. While two personnel sustained minor injuries, the third was reported to be slightly serious.

Constable Santosh Chandru, a resident of West Bengal, sustained injuries to his abdomen and spine. Constable Rakesh Dass, from Assam, suffered a bullet injury to his leg, while Head Constable Somveer Singh, from Madhya Pradesh, sustained a bullet injury to his arm. The latter two were reported to be stable.–(ANI)