Both believed to be Pakistanis, part of LeT
Civilians rescued before gun battle, 2 security men injured
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 4: A militant was killed and two security personnel were injured in an encounter in hilly Gali Sohab in Tuli area of Reasi district’s Chasana belt, bordering Budhal area of Rajouri today as security personnel continued operation to eliminate another ultra hiding in the same location.
Additional DGP Jammu Zone Mukesh Singh told the Excelsior that two militants were trapped in a joint operation by Army, CRPF and Police at Gali Sohab this morning following reports that they had taken shelter in a house.
He said one of the militants has been killed while another was firing intermittently till 8 PM. Later, the firing stopped, he added and said searches will be conducted early tomorrow morning.
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“Both the militants are believed to be Pakistanis and part of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) group,” the Jammu Police chief said.
Sources said after security personnel cordoned off the house and rescued civilians, they challenged the militants to come out and surrender but they fired on Army, CRPF and police who retaliated leading to the gun battle in which one militant was immediately killed while two security personnel including a jawan each from Army and Police were injured.
The exchange of fire between the two sides stopped tonight. Due to darkness, the security forces are exercising caution and not moving inside the house to find out the fate of the second militant, who is also believed to have been killed, they said.
Two Army and police personnel injured in the encounter have been hospitalized and their condition was stable.
Searches which were suspended in the area tonight will be resumed early tomorrow morning. As there was no fire from the other side, the second militant appeared to have died. However, the second casualty will be known only when the searches are complete.
Both the militants were believed to be part of a group of four militants last spotted at Gundna Khwas in Rajouri’s Budhal area by the Village Defence Committee (VDC) members on August 5.
One of the militants was killed at the spot while his injured associate was eliminated at Dhakkikot in Reasi district on August 18. Two militants were at large and were appeared to be same who were trapped at Gali Sohab today.
Both the militants were in possession of deadly weapons, explosives and ammunition. They were part of the Lashkar group which was planning to revive militancy in Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi districts, the officials said.
The border district of Poonch along with nearby Rajouri has witnessed several encounters this year, resulting in the killing of around 20 militants and 10 security personnel.
Most of the terrorists were killed while attempting to sneak into India from across the border, according to officials
Rajouri and Poonch districts have witnessed spurt in terror attacks this year. While seven civilians from minorities were killed by the militants at Dhangri in Rajouri on first day of the year, five bravehearts of Army sacrificed their lives in a terror attack at Mendhar on April 20 and another five at Kandi forest of Rajouri on May 5.
Troops had later eliminated four militants in Surankote on July 18 and one each at Gundna Khwas, Budhal on August 5 and Dhakkikot in Mahore area of Reasi on August 18.
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