Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 5: Two militants and a police man were killed and five security personnel including an Army Major were injured in a fierce overnight gun battle in Tral area of Southern Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
The gun battle that started last evening continued till morning in which two militants Aqib Molvi of Tral and Umar of Pakistan were killed. A constable of Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Manzoor Ahmad Naik of Uri was also killed. Three security men including an Army Major was also injured in the gun battle.
However, the security forces delayed the clearance of the debris due to stone pelting clashes that were going on in the area since last night. Dead body of Aqib Molvi and two AK-47 rifles were recovered while the body of Umar was under debris.
Director General of Police, S P Vaid told reporters in Srinagar that two militants have been killed. “The militants have been identified as Aqib Molvi of Hayuna, Tral and Umar of Pakistan”.
The encounter resumed today evening after one of the militant fired from the debris of the house. “We found two bodies in the rubble in the afternoon. When our men went to collect them, one of the militants, who had pretended to be dead, fired from the rubble in which one of our constable was injured in his leg due to a bullet fired from the militant,” he said.
“The militant was killed in the retaliatory fire from security forces,” the DGP said, adding, that the operation is “almost over” as security forces are clearing the debris from any ammunition.
The gunfight began last evening when security forces cordoned off Hafoo village in Nazneepora area in Tral. “We had specific inputs about presence of militants in the village,” Vaid said.
The gunfight lasted for more than 20 hours, with exchange of heavy gunfire between militants and security forces. Security forces used IED blasts to raze the house to the ground.
An SOG man, Manzoor Ahmad Naik of Uri, of police was also killed while five security forces personnel, including an army major, one policeman, two soldiers and a CRPF man, were injured in the encounter.
Clashes erupted near the encounter site as protesters pelted stones on the security forces. Several protesters were injured in the clashes as security forces fired teargas canisters and pellets to disperse them.
In the meantime, to pay homage to constable Manzoor Ahmad Naik, a wreath laying ceremony was held in DPL Srinagar. Minister for Education Altaf Bukhari led civil, police and security force officers and jawans in laying floral wreaths.
Among others who presented wreaths and flowers included DGP S.P Vaid, IG (Ops) CRPF Zulfikar Hassan, IGP Kashmir S.J.M Gillani, IG (Adm) CRPF Ravideep Sahi, DIG CKR Ghulam Hassan Bhat, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Ahmad Lone, DIG CRPF P.S. Rajora, DIG CRPF Narender Paul, DIG Armed Kashmir Rafiq-ul-Hassan and a number of SsP and other senior police officers.
A Police spokesman said: “As has been reported constable Manzoor Ahmad Naik son of Faqeer Mohammad Naik resident of Salamabad, Uri gave supreme sacrifice of his life while fighting the militants in an encounter in Haffoo area of Tral. The martyr is survived by an aged father, sister, brother, wife and a 4 years old son.”
“The martyr was laid to rest in his native place at Salamabad where SSP Baramulla Imtiyaz Hussain attended the last rites of the martyr”, he added.
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