Major, 2 soldiers injured
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 24: Three militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) were killed and a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Operations and a soldier were martyred and three soldiers including a Major injured in a gun battle at Turigam area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district today.
Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh said that they had reports of about 2 or 3 militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad hiding in the village when operation was launched. “We lost a brave officer DySP Aman Thakur in the operation”, he said.
Aman Thakur was hurt in the operations and taken to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to injuries.
An Army officer of Major rank along with three other soldiers also sustained bullet wounds and were hospitalized. One among the injured soldiers later succumbed to injuries in a military hospital here.
All the three militants were killed and their bodies were also retrieved from the site. The militants were affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit and two of them are local and one is believed to be foreigner.
A residential house where the militants were hiding belonged to Sonaullah Mir was razed to rubble.
Earlier, in the afternoon a joint team of Army’s 34 RR, CRPF and SOG launched cordon and search operation in Turigam village after inputs about presence of militants in the village. The militants hiding in the village opened fire on troops leading to an encounter.
Meanwhile, locals most of them youth took to streets and clashed with security forces. The security forces used tear smoke shells, pellets and live ammunition to disperse the protesters resulting in injuries to several persons. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Three youths suffered bullet injuries in forces action. The injured have been identified as Adil Ahmad son of Javaid Ahmad of Tarigam, Kulgam who received a bullet injury in his right arm, Sheikh Nadeem of Dessan Yaripora received a bullet in his right hand and Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh received bullet wound in his shoulder.
Adil was brought to SMHS hospital while as Nadeem and Mudasir were referred to SKIMS Soura from Kulgam hospital. Two others who sustained pellet injuries in the forces action were shifted to District Hospital Kulgam for treatment.
Authorities have snapped internet services in the district as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, Governor Satya Pal Malik has expressed grief over the martyrdom of DySP Aman Thakur, in an encounter at Turigam area of Kulgam district.
He has prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul and expressed sympathy and solidarity with family members of Thakur. He wished a speedy recovery to the security personnel injured during the encounter.
Union MoS in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh has expressed deep shock over martyrdom of DySP Aman Thakur.
“Deeply shocked to receive the news of martyrdom of young valiant police officer Aman Thakur, who originally hailed from Doda. Immediately visiting his house,” Dr Jitendra Singh tweeted.
Director General of Police (DGP), Dilbag Singh paid tributes to DySP Aman Kumar Thakur at wreath laying function held in Srinagar.
“We pay rich tributes to our colleague martyr DySP Aman Kumar Thakur for his supreme sacrifice made in the line of duty today at Kulgam. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this critical juncture,” he said.
“DySP Aman Kumar was a 2011 batch KPS Officer who was leading from the front in this operation”, he said.
He was known for his simplicity, plain speaking and thorough professionalism and was known for his determination and valour. In a short period of time he had earned love, respect and appreciation of the locals in the area for his helpful nature and professionalism.
To pay homage and respect to Kumar, a wreath laying ceremony was held at District Police Lines, Srinagar. Civil and police officers led by DGP Dilbag Singh, IGP Operations CRPF Zulfikar Hassan, Divivional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan, IGP Kashmir S P Pani, IG CRPF Ravideep Sahai, Range DIGs and DC Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Chowdhary laid floral wreaths on the mortal remains and paid rich tributes to Thakur.
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