Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 20: Hizbul Mujahideen top commander and his associate who were trapped by security forces last night in a village managed to flee the cordon in South Kashmir’s district of Shopian.
Acting on a specific information about the presence of militants at Lonepora village in Heff Shirmal area of Shopian, Army’s 55 RR and Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police cordoned off the area last evening.
During the searches militants hiding in the area fired on army party injuring two of them. The Army retaliated leading to a brief gun battle. The two Army men were shifted to Srinagar’s base hospital where their condition is out of danger.
However, militants managed to flee and were trapped inside the village by the Army and police.
The cordon and search operation continued for the whole night and in the morning it was lifted as both the militants had run away.
The miltiants who were trapped and later fled are Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Waseem Malla and his associate Saddam Paddar. Malla is most wanted militant in the area and his group is behind the recent killing of three police men in Shopian area and various other attacks including those on police and Army.
In the monring troops coonducted searches in the adjacent villages but no one was arrested and the duo too was not traced.
Security forces have over the last one month launched massive operations against a group of HM militants who carried out attacks in the district.
In the meantime, 19 RR of Army conducted cordon and search operation in Shalnad Kokernag area of Anantnag today after they got an input about presence of three militants in the village. They conducted house to house searches but no one was arrested.
The 9 RR of Army also cordoned off Yaripora village of Kulgam district in North Kashmir after an input about militant movement in the village. However, no one was arrested.
Police and 22 RR of Army cordoned off Nasirabad Sopora in North Kashmir tonight after reports of presence of two LeT militants in the village. The cordon and searches are on and so far no contact was established with the militants. The troops have intensified the cordon so as to prevent militants from fleeing the area.
The troops of 32 RR of Army and SOG Rafiabad cordoned off Chatoosa village in Rafiabad area of North Kashmir. They conducted house to house searches, however, no one was arrested.
In the meantime, threatening posters again surfaced in Baramulla town warning the cellular companies but police immediately pulled down them.
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