LeT comdr among 3 militants, commando killed in Handwara

Fayaz Bukhari

SRINAGAR, Sept 3: A Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander was among four militants and an Army commando killed in an encounter at Handwara area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district today while three army personnel were injured.
Meanwhile, India and Pakistani troops exchanged firing in Macchil Sector of Kupwara this evening. Reports said that the Pakistani troops targeted Indian posts in Macchil sector and Army retaliated and the exchange of fire continued for about half an hour. However, there were no casualties on either side.
Army’s 6-RR and police on a tip off, launched cordon-and-search operation in forest area at Sochalwari village of Vilgam, Handwara in the frontier district of Kupwara last evening.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police North Kashmir range, Garib Dass told Excelsior that they had noticed the movement of these LeT militants for past few weeks and had reports that they will come towards the village for food supplies. “We had laid an ambush and militants fired on troops when challenged by the ambush party leading to a gun battle”, he said.
As the whole area was cordoned off, the militants present in the area tried to break the cordon. However, the joint team of forces engaged them in a gunfight. The firefight continued intermittently throughout the night but fierce exchange of firefight erupted early morning today which lasted for several hours.
One commando of Army’s 9-Para indentified as Mohan Nath Goswami was killed in the gun battle. Three Army men including an officer identified as JCO Mahendar Singh, HC Narender Singh and Sepoy Kuldeep Singh were injured in the gunbattle. They were shifted to Army’s 92-base hospital in Badami Bagh Cantonment of Srinagar for treatment.
Army and police conducted searches in the morning and recovered four dead bodies of LeT militants and four AK-47 rifles besides ammunition and war like stores.
A police spokesman said here that four unidentified militants were killed during an encounter in Handwara and an Army jawan also lost his life in the encounter.
“On a specific information Handwara police along with 9 Para, 6 RR and 98 battalion of CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in forest area of Sochelyari, Vilgam, Handwara. During the search militants fired upon the joint search party which turned into encounter. During encounter four unidentified militants were killed. An Army Jawan of 9 Para Mohan Nath Goswami was also killed and 3 other jawans were injured in the encounter”, the spokesman said.
Police said four AK 47 rifles, 14 AK magazines, 95 AK rounds, 4 pouches and one UBGL grenade was recovered from the encounter site.
A Defence spokesman said that based on specific intelligence about the presence of three to four militants in the Hafruda forests, a joint operation was launched by the Army and JKP last evening.
“Contact with terrorists was established at night and a fierce gun battle ensued which continued intermittently through the night resulting in elimination of four terrorists whose identity is being ascertained.  Four AK-47 rifles, one UBGL and other warlike stores including ammunition, grenades and radio sets have also been recovered from the killed terrorists” the spokesman said.

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