Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Dec 31: Two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants were killed in an overnight encounter in Gusoo village of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
The gun battle started at around 1.15 am in Heerpora locality of Gusoo between hiding militants and security forces.
Army’s 53 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police and 123 Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) cordoned off Heerpora locality on yesterday following inputs about the presence of 3-4 militants of LeT hiding in the village.
The troops conducted searches in the area but could not find the militants who were hiding in a house. They tightened the cordon last evening and entire area was lit so as to prevent militants from fleeing the area.
At 1.15 am gun battle raged and continued till 5 am in which two militants, including a foreigner, were killed.
The killed militants were associated with LeT and were identified as Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, resident of Alochi Bagh in Pulwama and Mehmood Zargam alias Abu Ukasha of Pakistan.
The bodies of the slain militants were taken to Pantha Chowk police station for medico legal formalities. Manzoor’s body was handed over to his family, the body of Pakistani militant was handed over to the Auqaf committee members at Boniyar in Uri area of Baramulla district for burial.
Large number of people attended funeral of militant in Pulwama amid shutdown and clashes. The district observed a complete spontaneous shutdown amid clashes throughout the day.
Youth took to streets at Kakpora, Murran, Pulwama Town and other areas and resorted to heavy stone-pelting on Government forces who responded by firing teargas shells and pepper gas. The entire district including Pampore, Kareemabad, Samboora, Kakpora and other areas also observed shut down against the militants’ killings.
An Army spokesman said: “In a major success in counter terrorist operations by Army and JKP, two hardcore LeT terrorists were eliminated in a fierce encounter which erupted yesterday evening at village Gasu of Pulwama district.”
The spokesman said that Army and police had launched a joint search operation yesterday afternoon based on the intelligence inputs regarding suspicious move of militants in general area of village Gasu, Pulwama.
“Army teams operating in the area while carrying out patrolling received a specific input of likely presence of terrorists in Harpura Mohalla, of village Gasu. The security forces cordoned off the suspected houses and commenced deliberate search of the houses. While search was in progress, the terrorists tried to break the cordon by firing indiscriminately following which an intense exchange of fire ensued”, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said: “In the fire fight two hardcore LeT terrorists were gunned down. One terrorist was identified as Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, son of Abdul Rashid Bhat, resident of Aloochibagh, Kakapore, who joined LeT outfit in May 2015. The identity of the other terrorist, who was of foreign origin, is yet to be ascertained. The operation was undertaken by the Army with utmost care to ensure safety of the residents of the area.”
“The operation also led to the recovery of two AK 47 rifles, four AK 47 magazines and other war like stores from the slain terrorists. The bodies of the terrorists were handed over to Police”, the spokesman added.
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