Militant killed in Sopore encounter, toll mounts to 5

Youth tortured by militants succumbs

Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Aug 9: One more militant was today killed in Dooniwari forests area in Dangiwachi, Sopore in North Kashmir district of Baramulla taking the number of militants killed since yesterday to 5.
Security forces had launched an operation in Dooniwari, Ladoora forests in Dangiwachi area of Sopore in Baramulla four days back after credible leads about the presence of militants in the forest area.

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Militants fired on troops yesterday and the security forces retaliated leading to an encounter. In the initial firing, one Para-Commando of Army was injured  and was evacuated to the hospital for medical treatment . Four militants were killed by the security forces during the operation yesterday.
Security forces conducted searches this morning again during which a militant fired on the troops leading tofresh gun battle in which he was killed.  The militants belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit and were believed to have recently infiltrated.
Huge cache of arms and ammunition including four AK-47 rifles, one pistol, magazines, AK-ammunition, four grenades and other incriminating material was recovered from the site of encounter.
SSP Sopore, Javaid Iqbal said here that the operation was launched by Army and police three days ago after specific inputs about presence of the militant group in the Doonwari forest area.
He said that four militants were killed yesterday and fresh contact was established this morning in which one militant was killed. He said that preliminary investigation has revealed that they were affiliated with the LeT and their identity is being ascertained. Police has registered a case and investigation have been initiated,  which will establish whether they were recently infiltrated or were already in the forest area.
And Army today retrieved bodies of two militants in Bakhtoor area along the Line of Control (LoC) in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
The search operation was launched in Bakhtoor area by Army’s 36 RR and 4 Para Commandos following the gunfight on Tuesday in which four Army soldiers including an officer of Major rank were killed.
Today, bodies of two militants who were killed three days ago,  were recovered. They  belonged to LeT and their identities are being ascertained.
A youth succumbed to injuries last night after he along with another youth was abducted and beaten up by militants in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Militants yesterday abducted two youth Mehraj Ahmad of Kulgam and Arif Ahmad of Khudwani. However, they were severely thrashed and one of them, Arif later succumbed to his injuries.
A police spokesman said: “Terrorists tortured a youth to death in Kulgam. Terrorists had yesterday abducted two youth from Kulgam identified as Mehraj Ahmad of Kulgam and Arif Ahmad of Khudwani. Arif was later retrieved and his body bore visible torture marks. He was immediately shifted to hospital for treatment where he breathed his last. Kulgam police has registered case under relevant Sections of law and investigations taken up.”
Arif was laid to rest today at his native graveyard in Kulgam. Large numbers of people participated in his funeral. In his address to the mourners, Fayaz Ahmad Sofi, the father of Arif said: “If my son has been killed by militants, I want to ask them to provide me the proof that he was an Army informer.”  No militant outfit has claimed the responsibility of the abduction and killing.

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