Boy killed in Kupwara blast
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Feb 12 : A soldier and a militant were killed in a gun battle at Ratnipora in Pulwama district of South Kashmir today while two others fled from the cordon and a boy was killed in an explosion in Kupwara district of North Kashmir.
A joint team of Army’s 50 RR, 10 Para, SOG and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search operation at Ratnipora this morning after inputs about presence of a group of militants hiding in the village.
A militant was killed and three Army soldiers, Baljeet Singh of 50 RR, Sepoy Saneed and Naik Chander Pal of 10 Para were injured in the gun battle. One of them, Baljeet Singh succumbed to his injuries at 92 Base Hospital in Badami Bagh Cantonment here. The militant has been identified as Hilal Ahmad Rather alias Zarar of Begumbagh, Kakapora in Pulwama.
Sources said that the militants were hiding in the house of Javed Ahmad and when the security forces cordoned off the village, they fired at them and crossed the road. While fleeing they took shelter in another house belonging to Mohammad Yusuf Reshi.
The house where the militants were hiding was razed to rubble during the gunfight but only one body was recovered from the debris. Two other militants, who were believed to be foreigners, fled from the house during the gun battle.The militants were part of a joint group of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Hilal was working as Over Ground Worker of the militants when he was spotted in CCTV footage among the men who helped Naveed Jatt, Lashkar-e-Toiba commander, to escape from SMHC hospital last year. Soon, Hilal went into hiding and actively joined the militancy and was affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen.
Naveed Jatt was killed in an encounter with security forces in Budgam district in November last year.
Police said that Hilal was affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. He had a long history of militancy and was wanted by law for his complicity in a series of militant attacks including attack on security establishments and civilians.
“Several cases were registered against him for his involvement in militant activities and prominent among them are FIR No. 312/2016 at PS Pulwama U/S 147, 148, 307, 337, 332, 427 RPC, FIR No. 371/2016 at PS Pulwama U/S 147, 148, 307, 337, 332, 427 RPC, FIR No. 296/2016 at PS Pulwama U/S 147, 148, 307, 337, 332, 427 RPC and FIR No. 8/2018 at PS Karan Nagar U/S 302, 120-B RPC, 7/27 Arms Act which pertained to the militant attack inside the premises of SMHS Hospital in which two cops were martyred and a Pakistani militant Naveed Jatt alias Hanzalla had managed to escape,” the spokesman said.
“Incriminating material such as arms and ammunition, was recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken in the case records for the purpose of investigation, police said.
The body of the slain militant was handed over to his family after completion of all medico-legal formalities.
A teenage boy was killed in a mysterious blast at Anderhama area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district this afternoon.
A blast occurred inside a shop at around 3:55 p.m at Anderhama village in Drugmulla in which a 15-year-old Suhail Ahmad Wani son of Sonaullah Wani was killed on the spot.
The blast, believed to be an IED, exploded and damaged the shop as well and created panic in the village.
Police have collected some samples from the spot and sent them to the Forensic Laboratory to ascertain nature of explosive.
Militants hurled the grenade on forces bunker guarding the Central Jail in Rainawari area this evening. However, there was no damage.
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