Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Feb 12: An Army officer was among three soldiers injured in a fierce gun battle at Chowkibal forest area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district this evening. Two soldiers were believed to be trapped in the same house where militants are hiding.
Army’s 41 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), 16 Grenadiers and 19 Maratha Regiment along the Jammu and Kashmir Police cordoned off the Zonreshi, Marsari villages close to forests in Chowkibal area today following the inputs about the presence of some militants in the area.
As the troops started cordon-and-search operation, militants hiding in a house fired on troops leading to a gun battle in which one Army jawan of 41 RR sustained bullet injuries. He was evacuated to Panzgam for treatment. The fire was retaliated triggering an encounter.
Sources said that as the encounter broke out, there was confusion and seven Army men including Major Harvinder entered the same house in which militants were hiding. Militants were hiding in the upper floor and the Army men entered ground floor.
Major Harvinder and Naik Shinde were injured in the gun battle inside the house and later they were evacuated to Panzgam hospital for treatment. Naik Shinde was stated to be critical.
The cordon-and-search operation was strengthened in the area with the additional reinforcement of commandos from 4 PARA and Special Operation Group of Police were rushed to the area for the operation.
Sources said that two Army men are missing and are believed to be in the same house where the militants are trapped. They said that the militants are firing on troops intermittently. The troops are taking utmost care to take on the militants hiding in the house as the two Army men are said to be in the same house.
Sources said that Army got information about presence of a group of six militants hiding in the forest area. They launched the operation yesterday but the contact with the group was established this evening. It is, however, not known that how many militants are hiding inside the cordoned area.
The militant group is believed to have infiltrated into these forests in around 2-3 months back and they were trying to take refuge in the residential areas due to snowfall in the forests. However, another source said that there is possibility that the group may have infiltrated recently and was trying to cross over to Hafruda forests when they were cited.
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