Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 10: At least 3 militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) are holed up in Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) complex at Pampore in the outskirts of Srinagar since morning after they torched attic of the hostel and security forces laid siege around it.
Sources said that Fire and Emergency Services fire extinguishers rushed to the EDI complex early this morning after fire broke out in the attic of the hostel at around 6 am. As they started dousing the flames, militants fired few rounds at them and they retreated.
Police and Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police rushed in and was followed by Army. They immediately cordoned off the complex to ascertain whether militants are inside or not.
As Army fired probing shots and rifle grenades, militants didn’t respond. It was after around two hours when an Army jawan was injured as militant fired at him, it became clear that militants are hiding inside. The injured jawan has been identified as Sepoy Ajay Roy. More troops were immediately rushed to the EDI to strengthen the cordon.
Police and Army fired hundreds of rounds of ammunition, fired from rockets launchers at the buildings to neturalise them. However, militants didn’t respond much except for firing few shots at couple of times during the day and one grenade in the afternoon. They are believed to be in the sixth floor of the building.
The Army continuously fired at them. They used IED to target the building. However, militants didn’t respond much. In the evening one room of the building caught fire after an IED blast that shook the entire area. However, the fire got extinguished on its own.
Sources said that the security forces didn’t want to take any chances and are in no hurry to eliminate the holed up militants. The operation was going in till last reports came in. Huge explosions are being heard from the EDI building as Army is firing grenades and rockets at the building to target the holed up militants. The cordon around the complex has been tightened for the night to prevent militants from fleeing.
There are conflicting reports about the militants making entry into the complex. One report suggested that they came in an Alto Car and another said that they came through river Jhelum in a boat. The security agencies, however, were on high alert after they received inputs for last few days that a group of 4-5 militants are making movements in a white colour Alto Car in South Kashmir to carry out a Fidayeen atttack.
The National Highway was closed in Pampore area to avoid any casualty and for smooth conduct of the operation. Large number of trucks that make movements early morning and late night are stranded at several places on the highway.
Sources said that militants have deliberately entered into the building to engage troops here. They, however, said that militants failed in their design as they thought security forces will come into the complex in large groups giving them enough target to hit at and inflict casualties.
Sources said that Special Forces of Army who were called in today didn’t conduct any operation. They said, however, the commandos may enter the building tomorrow to flush these militants out.
Three Army personnel from elite Special Forces and two para-military security force personnel and an employee of EDI were killed in February this year when militants carried out Fidayeen attack at the building that lasted for 48 hours.
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