Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Oct 11: A Lashkar-e-Toiba militant was killed in a fierce encounter by security forces this morning in Handwara forest area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, North Kashmir, Garib Dass, told Excelsior that body of a LeT militant was recovered during searches in the Peth Wudar in Handwara area of Kupwara district this morning.
Dass said that searches in the area are on and it is a dense forest area where the gun battle took place last night. He said that the militant was killed last night by the troops and in the morning searches of the area were conducted and only one body was recovered.
The DIG said that the operation against the militants in the area is going on and it is believed that one militant is still trapped in the cordoned off area. He said that the operation will continue and searches will be again resumed in the morning at first light.
Yesterday morning security forces had a brief gun battle with the militant group in the forest area and the militants fled away. The group was again intercepted in the evening leading to a fierce encounter. The intermittent firing was going on during the night and in the morning one body of a militant was found in the forests.
Army’s 21 RR, army’s 6 RR and Police has launched massive searches in several forest areas connecting Hafruda area for last several days since 4 army personnel were killed in an attack on October 5 in Tilpathri forest area.
The group of the militants was intercepted by army’s 21 RR at Wader Balla forest area. After being intercepted, the joint team of army’s 21 RR, 92 bn CRPF and SOG engaged the group in a gun battle.
Police and army this year killed 54 militants in North Kashmir during operations. This includes the militants who were killed along the Line of Control during infiltration.
It may be mentioned here that there have been increased attempts of infiltration during this year but army is alert along the LOC and has foiled over a dozen attempts.
Army says over 200 militants are waiting on the LoC in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) for infiltration. However, they say that they are alert to foil any such attempts.
A Defence spokesman said here that security forces today gunned down one militant in an ongoing encounter in Handwara, Kupwara.
“One terrorist has been killed and warlike stores recovered in a joint operation by the Army and JKP which began yesterday in Waderbala forest, Handwara of Kupwara district. The operation in the dense forest was still continuing at the time of filing this report”, the spokesman added.
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