Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 25: A soldier and a militant were killed in two separate operations in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district near the Line of Control (LoC) today, taking the death toll in these two operations to eight.
The operations that were launched on Saturday night against two groups of infiltrators in Keran sector of the LoC and at Kalaroos are still going on.
A Defence spokesman said here that a soldier was killed at Baran Gali in Lolab today in a fierce encounter with the militants. Sources said that Army’s 18 RR and 28 RR had jointly cordoned vast forest area upto Lolab after 3 militants managed to escape from the Nunwani encounter on Sunday.
In the morning, army intercepted the militant group at Baran Gali forest area of Lolab leading to fierce encounter in which two Army personnel were injured. They have been identified as Rifle man Ghulam Ahmad of 160 Territorial Army (TA) and Lance Naik Dhananjay of 28 RR.
Both the injured were shifted to 168 Military Hospital in Drugmulla where from Dhananjay was airlifted to Army’s 92 base hospital in Srinagar. However, Dhanjay, later succumbed to injuries.
With the killing of a solider, the death toll in Kalaroos operation against the infiltrator group has risen to 6. A solider and 4 militants were killed yesterday when army intercepted a group of infiltrators. However, three militants of the group managed to escape and operation against them is going on in vast forest area spread upto Lolab.
In another operation that is going on in Keran since Saturday night, one militant was today killed by Army at Kundan Nar forest area near Line of Control (LoC) in Keran sector of Kupwara.
Army’s 23 Grenadier had intercepted the militant group on Saturday night. One Army personnel was killed in the encounter on Saturday night. The death toll in the ongoing operation in Keran has risen to 2.
Sources said that the Army has intensified its vigil in the forest areas of Bandipora, Sopore, Zaloora, Handwara, Vilgam, Chokibal, Keran and Tangdhar.
The Defence spokesman said that the Northern Army Commander, Lt Gen DS Hooda commended the troops for the sustained operations against the militancy and paid rich tributes to soldier Dhananjay Kumar for his courage displayed by him in the line of duty. “Our hearts reach out to the family of the martyr and we pray to the Almighty to give them courage to bear this irreparable loss with fortitude,” the General said.
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