Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Dec 4: Two militants and a soldier were killed in an encounter at Qazigund area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district which had raged after an attack on Army convoy on the National Highway in the afternoon. Click here to watch video
A group of militants belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) this afternoon fired upon Army’s patrolling party in Bounigam in Qazigund on the National Highway, leaving three soldiers injured. The injured soldiers were shifted to 92 Base Hospital Badami Bagh here.
Soon after the attack, Army along with additional reinforcement launched a cordon and search operation to nab the militants responsible for the attack.
The militants fled away after carrying out the attack and took shelter inside a building near the National Highway. As the joint team of security forces intensified the searches to trace out the hiding militants, they were fired upon, triggering an encounter. The firing between the two sides continued throughout the day.
The traffic on the National Highway remained disrupted after the security forces sealed it soon after the attack as the militants had taken shelter in a building near the highway. However, the traffic was diverted through other routes but there were traffic jams on the highway.
The security forces engaged the two militants but finally blasted off the building in which the militants had taken refuge. After searches of the debris was conducted following end of gun fire, two bodies of militants were recovered. However, they were not identified as yet. One of them is believed to be a local and another foreigner.
An injured soldier belonging to 10 SIKH LI, meanwhile, succumbed to his injuries at Badami Bagh Base Hospital in Srinagar this evening. An official identified the soldier as Sepoy Jitender Singh who was hurt in militant attack on Army patrol. However, other two are being treated and are said to be out of danger.
Army spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that two militants and one soldier were killed in the attack and the encounter.
The locals gathered in the area and pelted stones on the security forces who were conducting operation. Police and security forces fired tearsmoke to disperse them. However, the ding dong battles continued for hours.
A 23 year old youth, Suhail Ahmad Khan, son of Mohammad Yaqoob Khan, resident of Nessu Badragund was injured during the encounter. His condition is, however, stated to be stable.
Obaid Ahmad Najjar of Vessu Kulgam was injured in pellet firing on stone pelters. He was removed to Srinagar for treatment as a pellet has hit his left eye.
Meanwhile, two militants have been arrested by police in Anantnag district of south Kashmir while a pistol was recovered from their possession.
Sources said that Anantnag police arrested two militants namely Younis Ahmad Wagay, resident of Hawoora village of Kulgam district and Rashid Ahmad Allai, son of Farooq Ahmad Allai, resident of Sangam area of Anantnag district.
Sources said both the militants were fresh recruits and a Chinese pistol was recovered from the possession of the duo. Police have started questioning both the arrested militants and further investigation is on, the sources added.
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