Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 11: Three Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants and a woman were killed today in an encounter in Handwara area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district while militants attacked at cash van of Jammu and Kashmir Bank in Shopian district of South Kashmir, killing two guards.
Police said that the woman got injured in the cross firing during the gun battle and later succumbed to her injuries.
Police said that acting on a specific input, Handwara police along with 22 RR and 92 Bn CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in Mir Mohalla area of Unisoo in Handwara today.
“During search operation, terrorists hiding in the house of Abdul Hamid Mir fired upon the joint search party,” he said, adding that the fire was retaliated, ensuing an encounter.
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“Three unidentified terrorists of LeT were killed in this encounter. The identity of these terrorists is being ascertained. Three AK rifles along with other ammunition were recovered from the encounter site,” the spokesman added.
Police said that five members of the family got trapped inside a house and one member believed to be daughter in law of the house owner tried to escape during which she sustained serious bullet wounds and subsequently died due to grave injuries.
Soon after the encounter, protests broke out at Unisoo against the killing of a woman identified as Mysara. Body of a woman was placed on road by protesters, who demanded action against the security forces. Local MLA of Langate, Abdul Rasheed Sheikh joined the protesters.
In the meantime, two private security guards of J&K Bank were killed after militants attacked a cash van of the Bank in Kellar area of Shopian in South Kashmir this afternoon.
Police said militants intercepted a Scorpio bearing registration number JK01M-4631, of Jammu and Kashmir Bank at Poju Kral Check in Kellar area of Shopian district and fired indiscriminately at it. He said that two bank security guards sustained critical bullet injuries and were shifted to Pulwama Hospital where they succumbed. Due to firing, the driver of the vehicle lost his balance and the vehicle turned turtle.
The security guards were identified as Tariq Ahmad, resident of Tumulhal Pulwama and Mushtaq Ahmad, resident of Anantnag. Police, however, said that no cash was looted from the van as it had already been deposited in the bank. The officer said that the van was on way to Kellar from Pulwama.
DIG South Kashmir range SP Pani through official Twitter handle said: “Militants attacked a JK bank cash van # Shopian. In the attack two bank guards lost their lives. No cash looted. Driver of the vehicle is stable…search continues.”
Condemning the incident, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti described the incident as highly unfortunate in which the officials guarding the public money were killed. Mehbooba also expressed grief over the death of a woman during a search operation in Handwara today.
Mehbooba said she has been all along warning of the ill effects of violence and reiterated her appeal to civil society to rise to the occasion and make the future of youngsters safe and peaceful.
Meanwhile, J&K Bank Chairman and CEO Parvez Ahmed expressed has also shock over the killing of security personnel guarding the bank’s cash van on way to Kellar from Shadimarg.
He said, “It is very painful news and we at J&K Bank are shocked over the killings of security personnel namely Mushtaq Ahmad and Tariq Ahmad by the unidentified gunmen while guarding the bank’s cash delivery vehicle. I express my heartfelt condolences and all our sympathies are with the bereaved families. I also wish speedy recovery to the three injured officials of the bank including security guard.”
“Let me add here that these innocent guards were there only to protect the people’s money and such gruesome incidents create hardships for the general public and hinder us from serving the people of these areas well”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman assured the bereaved families of appropriate support from the bank.
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