Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Sept 22: Border Security Forces (BSF) and Army today arrested two boys from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) near the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri area of Baramulla district after they strayed into Indian territory.
The BSF arrested Shah Hussain, 15, son of Mohammad Akbar Lone and Yaseen Khursheed, 16, son of Khursheed Ahmad, residents of Khilana, PoK.
The two boys were found near a BSF forward post in Gawalta area of Uri near LoC. The two boys are from adjacent PoK village of Khilana. The BSF which is working under the command of Army along the LoC in Kashmir handed them over to the local unit of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JKLI).
Sources said that these two boys might have inadvertently strayed into Indian territory but Army is not taking any chances in the wake of Sunday’s attack on Army’s Brigade Headquarter at Uri. They have been brought to Srinagar for questioning by the Army.
Sources said that as there is heightened tension along the LoC after Uri attack, they are being questioned about their involvement in militancy and movement of militants across LoC.
Army has also informed the local unit of Pakistani troops about arrest of two boys from Khilana. Sources said that if the two boys are found innocent they may be returned to Pakistani troops in the same area soon. But before that, Army wants to ensure that they had not come for any evil design.
Army today killed a militant in a gunfight that raged at Chapran area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district while a youth was injured in the protests that followed the encounter.
A police spokesman said that following specific information about the presence of militants in Chapran, police and security forces cordoned off the area and launched search operation.
“The cordon and search operation turned into an encounter when the search party was fired at. In the retaliatory fire, one militant was killed, whose identity is being ascertained,” he said.
An AK-47 rifle, five AK Magazines, 3 Chinese grenades, one GPS and one mobile phone was recovered from the killed militant.
Sources said that Army’s 3 RR and SOG Bandipora on a specific information about presence of a group of militants in the area cordoned it off during which militants opened fire on troops leading to a gun battle in which one militant was killed. They said four militants managed to escape. The group is believed to have infiltrated from Macchil sector this summer and then shifted to Lolab before arriving in Bandipora last week.
The spokesman said that following the encounter, hundreds of locals including women came out of their houses and demanded body of the slain militant. Police cane charged the protesters and later fired teargas.
A protester, Tauseef Ahmad Gani, resident of Chatti Bandipora was injured as he was hit by a tear gas shell. The injured was shifted to a local hospital from where he was referred to Srinagar.
An Army spokesman said here today that Army foiled two infiltration attempts in Nowgam sector today.”Even as counter infiltration operations continue in Uri and Nowgam, two more bids have been successfully foiled by the Army at two different places again in Nowgam sector”, an Army spokesman said here.
“Army has enhanced its vigil in view of the increased Pakistan abetted infiltration attempts along LoC and on the intervening night of September 21-22, two separate groups trying to sneak in were intercepted and forced to flee back.”
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