09-24-2009, 02:52 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Major among 8 killed in J&K encounters</b>
pioneer.com
Khursheed Wani | Srinagar
<b>Two fierce encounters in North Kashmir left four terrorists and an equal number of soldiers, including a Major, dead on Wednesday.</b> Two of the slain militants were âdistrict commandersâ of the Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Tayyeba outfits. Six soldiers were injured in the gun battles while a hideout was smashed to smithereens during the prolonged exchange of fire.
Spokesman of the Srinagar-based XV Corps Col Umamaheshwar c<b>onfirmed the death of a Major and three soldiers</b> and said the search operation near the encounter sites was in progress till late in the evening.
The spurt in violence, sources said, was an effort by terrorists to enter India before snowfall blocked the entry routes for infiltrators. They said that hundreds of armed militants were waiting across the border to ingress. While many infiltration attempts were foiled, there were reports that some militants had successfully entered into the Valley to augment the dwindling numbers of insurgents in Jammu & Kashmir. Sources said the focus of infiltration was both the Jammu and Kashmir provinces.
Police sources said the lethal gun battle between security forces and the terrorists started on <b>Tuesday evening at Baniyari Watalpora, an island-like habitation in Wullar Lake, near Sumbal in North Kashmirâs Bandipora district. The security forces were tipped off that militants were hiding in a house formerly owned by a top counter-insurgent, Bashir Yaar, who was killed by terrorists in a mine explosion six years back.</b> The security forces cordoned off the concrete house, only to receive a volley of bullets from inside. A police officer said the militants had a large quantity of ammunition dumped in the basement of the house.
In the first bout of fire, three soldiers were injured. Sources said a column of 13 Rashtriya Rifles, led by <b>Major Suresh Suri, attempted to enter the house but militants shot them pointblank. Four Armymen, including Major Gautam Raj Reshi and Major Kamlesh Kumar, got injured in the encounter and were airlifted for treatment by para-troopers who joined the flush-out operation.</b>
The encounter ended only after the hideout was razed by mortar shelling. Sources said one of the slain militants was Pasha, a top-ranking militant of the Hizbul Mujahideen, who was active in the area for a decade. An award of Rs 10 lakh had been announced on his head.
The second encounter took place at Ladoora village in Rafiabad pocket of Baramulla. <b>Two terrorists and two soldiers belonging to 32 Rashtriya Rifles died in the incident</b>. <b>The slain troopers have been identified as Devika Sagar and Ram Dass. Two soldiers also received injuries in the gun battle</b>.
Defence sources said the slain militants probably were part of the group of militants that had recently sneaked into Kashmir to increase the level of violence. âRafiabad jungles are an extension of the infiltration routes in Kupwara district. The encounter and the level of casualties inflicted on the Army indicate that the militants were fresh recruits from Pakistan,â a defence expert said. A fortnight ago, a Major was killed by infiltrators in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu.
Sources said that apart from carrying out fresh infiltrations, the militants were targeting the populated areas to demonstrate their presence. In August, two major attacks in Srinagar city left three CRPF personnel dead and a dozen injured when terrorists struck in the State capital with automatic weapons and grenades. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
pioneer.com
Khursheed Wani | Srinagar
<b>Two fierce encounters in North Kashmir left four terrorists and an equal number of soldiers, including a Major, dead on Wednesday.</b> Two of the slain militants were âdistrict commandersâ of the Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Tayyeba outfits. Six soldiers were injured in the gun battles while a hideout was smashed to smithereens during the prolonged exchange of fire.
Spokesman of the Srinagar-based XV Corps Col Umamaheshwar c<b>onfirmed the death of a Major and three soldiers</b> and said the search operation near the encounter sites was in progress till late in the evening.
The spurt in violence, sources said, was an effort by terrorists to enter India before snowfall blocked the entry routes for infiltrators. They said that hundreds of armed militants were waiting across the border to ingress. While many infiltration attempts were foiled, there were reports that some militants had successfully entered into the Valley to augment the dwindling numbers of insurgents in Jammu & Kashmir. Sources said the focus of infiltration was both the Jammu and Kashmir provinces.
Police sources said the lethal gun battle between security forces and the terrorists started on <b>Tuesday evening at Baniyari Watalpora, an island-like habitation in Wullar Lake, near Sumbal in North Kashmirâs Bandipora district. The security forces were tipped off that militants were hiding in a house formerly owned by a top counter-insurgent, Bashir Yaar, who was killed by terrorists in a mine explosion six years back.</b> The security forces cordoned off the concrete house, only to receive a volley of bullets from inside. A police officer said the militants had a large quantity of ammunition dumped in the basement of the house.
In the first bout of fire, three soldiers were injured. Sources said a column of 13 Rashtriya Rifles, led by <b>Major Suresh Suri, attempted to enter the house but militants shot them pointblank. Four Armymen, including Major Gautam Raj Reshi and Major Kamlesh Kumar, got injured in the encounter and were airlifted for treatment by para-troopers who joined the flush-out operation.</b>
The encounter ended only after the hideout was razed by mortar shelling. Sources said one of the slain militants was Pasha, a top-ranking militant of the Hizbul Mujahideen, who was active in the area for a decade. An award of Rs 10 lakh had been announced on his head.
The second encounter took place at Ladoora village in Rafiabad pocket of Baramulla. <b>Two terrorists and two soldiers belonging to 32 Rashtriya Rifles died in the incident</b>. <b>The slain troopers have been identified as Devika Sagar and Ram Dass. Two soldiers also received injuries in the gun battle</b>.
Defence sources said the slain militants probably were part of the group of militants that had recently sneaked into Kashmir to increase the level of violence. âRafiabad jungles are an extension of the infiltration routes in Kupwara district. The encounter and the level of casualties inflicted on the Army indicate that the militants were fresh recruits from Pakistan,â a defence expert said. A fortnight ago, a Major was killed by infiltrators in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu.
Sources said that apart from carrying out fresh infiltrations, the militants were targeting the populated areas to demonstrate their presence. In August, two major attacks in Srinagar city left three CRPF personnel dead and a dozen injured when terrorists struck in the State capital with automatic weapons and grenades. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->