Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, May 20: Two infiltrating militants and two soldiers were killed as Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowgam sector of North Kashmir this evening.
Srinagar based Defence spokesman, Lt Col Rajesh Kalia said that two infiltrating militants and two soldiers were killed in Nowgam sector in North Kashmir this evening.
Sources said that troops of 4/1 GR noticed some suspicious movement of militants along LoC fence in Kissan Battalion area of Nowgam sector in Handwara this evening.
After being challenged, the militants fired at soldiers, triggering off an encounter. In the exchange of fire, two militants and two soldiers were killed.
They said that the intermittent firing was going on. “At least a group of four to five militants was trying to sneak in”, they added.
Sources said that at least 200 militants are waiting on the launch pads along the LoC for infiltration. Army is on heightened alert to thwart any such attempts.
Security forces today launched a search and cordon operation in Behak forest area of Handwara in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district after brief standoff with militants.
Acting on tip off, Army’s 6 RR cordoned off the Behak forest area of Zunreshi in Chowkibal sector today morning. Sources said that a newly infiltrated militant group fired upon the security forces, who retaliated by firing towards the militants. However, the militants, while taking advantage of dense forest area, escaped from the spot.
Soon after the incident, additional contingents of forces including Army’s para troops were rushed to the area and combing operation was launched. The operation was underway when reports last came in. A pistol, two magazines and one black pouch was recovered during the operation.
Security forces today recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from North Kashmir’s Kupwara district during a search operation.
During searches by the 15RR Army at Freshitring Nard in Keran sector area of the Kupwara district, two AK rifles, two UBGLs, two pistols, 20 pistol magazines, 20 AK magazines, 600 AK rounds, 27 pistol rounds, one tracer, one knife, wire and a binocular were recovered.
In the meantime, a police constable this evening decamped with four rifles from a police guard room in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
Constable Syed Naveed Mushtaq (182/BD) posted at the guard room of Food Corporation of India (FCI) godown in Chanpora village of Budgam district decamped four SLR rifles and their ammunition. Out of four rifles, three belonged to his colleagues and one was his own.
Naveed, is a resident of Nazneenpora village of militancy-infested Shopian district of south Kashmir. Sources said that two of his civilian friends, who were present at the guard room, assisted him in fleeing with these rifles in a car. He had introduced the duo as his police friends to other cops posted at guard room and they had arrived in the day.
The other policemen were not present in the guard room at the time of decamping of rifles and had gone outside probably to offer prayers. Sources said that the cops after their return were stunned to see their rifles and the constable missing and they immediately informed their higher-ups, who rushed to the spot.
Police sounded an alert in Central and South Kashmir districts and special checkpoints were established to nab the policeman and his associates. This is third incident in past two years wherein policemen have fled with service rifles.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Munir Ahmad Khan today said that efforts of the security forces are to wipe out militancy without harming civilians.
Speaking to reports in Anantnag, he said: “Effort will be to eradicate militants but without any collateral damage and fair and clean operations take place and people don’t face any loss so that militancy is eradicated and our effort will be this only”.
Khan said that there is the need of community policing. “There are several aspects of the policing. As you saw, some people were talking about traffic policing, drug addiction and people’s behavior. In many things, there is need of community policing”, he said.
The IGP said that his priority s guide the local youth. “70 per cent of the population in Kashmir is youth. My priority will be to do their proper counseling”, he said. He added that the youth will be properly counseled so that they would choose the positive track instead of negative.
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