The audacious ‘fidayeen’ attack at a central reserve police force camp in Lethpora area of Pulwama district is first of its kind where local militants managed entry into the highly-fortified security installation and inflict heavy damage on the forces, the police said on Monday.
Though Kashmir has seen at least 10 major fidayeen attacks in the past 28 years, the Sunday’s Lethpora attack, which led to killing of five CRPF personnel and three militants, has sent the entire security establishment across Kashmir into a tizzy.
“We have seen fidayeen strikes wherein there was involvement of local militants. In a fidayeen attack on army’s 15 corps headquarters in 1999, a local militant blew himself after he rammed a car in which he was travelling with the main gate,” director general of police Shesh Paul Vaid told Greater Kashmir.
“Then there was another similar attack in 2003 and also in 2005 where there was a participation of local militants in fidayeen attacks. But yes, the attack on CRPF camp at Lethpora is first where we saw two young local youth managing entry inside the security installation.”
The participation of two local boys in carrying out the fidayeen attack is not only a challenge but a huge concern for us, Vaid said.
Asked whether Kashmir has started producing its own fidayeen, the DGP evaded a direct reply: “The killing of two local boys including a teenager has deeply pained us.”
A source in the police said that in the previous fidayeen attacks, locals didn’t manage entry into any security installation and instead took refuge in hotels or government buildings.
“Lethpora is the first case where local militants managed entry inside the camp and killed four CRPF men,” the source said.
Kashmir range inspector general of police Muneer Khan, claimed that the two fidayeen attackers who were part of Lethpora attack were the “result of indoctrination” and “some brainwashing” by the slain Jaish-e-Muhammad commander Noor Muhammad of Tral area in Pulwama. Noor, who had jumped parole, was killed recently in a gunfight at Samboora area of Pampore. He was less than four feet in height.
“Fardeen (17) and Manzoor Baba (22) were lured by none other than Noor himself. They were trained by Noor only. He had a great motivational power and was the main recruiter for Jaish. His job was to make as much recruitment of locals into Jaish as possible,” the IGP said.
He also said that two to four Jaish militants, trained by Noor, are still at large.
On the video wherein Fardeen is purportedly seen making a speech before attacking the Lehtpora camp, the Kashmir police chief said: “These are new tactics and the style seems copied from Al-Qaeda.”
Asked whether there would be more local fidayeen now, the IGP said: “No, I don’t think so.”
A senior police officer, wishing not to be named, said that in the video clip, Fardeen seems bold, confident and focussed.
“See a teenager at the very outset saying that ‘when people would be watching his video, I would be enjoying in the heaven’. This is very dangerous and needs to be addressed,” he said.
CRPF’s special director general for J&K, SN Srivastava said that it seems “some force is misguiding the local boys of Kashmir.”
“I am optimistic and hope things change for good,” he said, when asked about the video of the 17-year-old local fidayeen.