Pampore attack: Focus shifts to Lashkar’s new operational commander

The attack, which took place on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway near Pampore town, left eight CRPF men dead and at least 22 injured The IG said that the militants were initially told to carry out the attack in the city. However, when they failed to find a suitable target, they targeted the CRPF convoy.

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“The militants were ferried to the spot of the attack in the car and their accomplices fled, but the Road Opening Party men shot both the attackers,’’ Prabat said, adding that their killing indicated that the men on duty had followed the Standard Operation Procedure.

The police and CRPF have identified the Lashkar module that was responsible for the attack. The focus has now shifted to Abu Dujhana, who was handed over the operational command of the Lashkar in south Kashmir after the killing of Abu Qasim.

Dujhana, who was earlier Qasim’s deputy, is based in south Kashmir and is in touch with ‘’top bosses’’ across the border, officials said. The police and CRPF have been asked to be on high alert and use every tactic against the Lashkar commander.

On Sunday, the CRPF director-general visited Srinagar and held a high-level meeting with the officials. They are looking at plugging loopholes to strengthen security in the Valley, especially in south Kashmir, sources said.

Meanwhile, the CRPF said that the injured personnel were stable.