ISIS claims responsibility for attack on CRPF in Kashmir's Anantnag

The group has a very little presence in the valley

NIA crackdown on ISIS, conduct raids in Coimbatore Representational Image | AP

The Islamic State terror group on Tuesday claimed responsibility for an attack on a CRPF patrolling party in Anantnag district of south Kashmir in which a jawan was killed and another injured. The group, which has a very little presence in the valley, made the claim on its Amaq news agency within hours of the attack. "The caliphate soldiers targeted a gathering of Indian police in the area (Bijbehara) in Kashmir...." it said in its claim.

Head Constable Shiv Lal Neetam was killed in the incident in Bijbehara on Tuesday evening, 42km from Srinagar. At about 5:50pm, a man threw a grenade at a Central Reserve Police Force patrolling party at Goriwan Chowk in the area and fled, officials said.

While it was earlier reported that the jawans received splinter injuries, officials later said the grenade did not explode.  The militants then fired upon the forces, injuring two CRPF personnel who were rushed to a hospital where Neetam was declared brought dead, they said. The official added that a bomb disposal squad was rushed to the spot to diffuse the grenade.