Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 16: A fierce gun battle has raged between militants and Army in the forests of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district this evening.
Army’s 41 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and 4 Para-commandos who had launched massive search operation after a group of Lashkar-e-Toiba militants gave slip to troops on Friday evening at Payerpati village near LoC in Haihama in district Kupwara.
The 41 RR of Army and its Para commandos this evening intercepted the militant group at Behak forest area near Kumkadi. The gun battle was on when reports last came in.
Two soldiers were injured on Friday evening when the group of militants attacked Army before escaping from the spot. Army operation against them was on since then.
On Nov 10, the Army had recovered the body of a militant who is believed to have died due to severe cold and was part of the militant group.
Sources said that the group had infiltrated recently from the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and was trapped in the mountains due to heavy rains and snowfall.
In the meantime, Army today picked up three youth from Zabn Gujjar Basti village Chuntmullah in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district and questioned them for the presence of a militant group in the area against whom search operation continues for last three weeks.
Residents allege that these three youths including a woman were beaten up severely by Army and they held a protest against the local Army unit leading to clashes.
The protesters pelted stones at the Army camp and Army baton charged them resulting in the injuries to several protesters.
The protesters alleged that a woman and her son were among at least four persons beaten by Army’s 14 RR during cordon in the village. The protesters demanded strict action against Army unit.
The people of the area then took to streets and reached the Deputy Commissioner’s office and demand strict action against Army. Police resorted to teargas shelling on protesters in Bandipora town. The shopkeepers closed their shops and other commercial establishments and situation remained tense.
The search operation against a group of militants in the area was launched last month when Army and police received information about presence of a militant group in the area. One Army jawan was killed on October 28 when militants fired at the search party of Army. More troops were rushed to the area and search operation continues since then.
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