Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): Three terrorists were killed at the end of a 24-hour long gun-battle that broke out yesterday in Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, police said today.
Acting on a tip-off, joint teams of security forces had laid a siege in Chewa-Ullar village in Tral yesterday.
“After initial exchange of firing, militants kept on changing their location. The area being congested prompted the security forces to launch a very deliberate operation to prevent any collateral damage,” a police officer said, adding that militants were also given a chance to surrender but they refused and instead fired, triggering an encounter.
“This morning, operation resumed and after a heavy exchange of fire from both sides, all three militants were killed,” said a police officer.
Defence spokesman in Srinagar, Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that three militants have been killed and arms and ammunition recovered. “Search operation is in progress,” said Colonel Kalia. The authorities had also snapped internet services in police division Awantipore yesterday, as a precautionary measure to prevent any law and order issue.
Today’s encounter was the 12th in South Kashmir in month of June in which so far 33 militants have been killed. With the killing of three militants in today’s encounter, the total number of militants killed this year has reached to 111 which include top commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad.
As per official records, Hizbul Mujahideen has borne the maximum brunt of anti-militancy operations in South Kashmir this year. The outfit has lost 55 of its men alone while Lashkar and Jaish have lost 20 each. The other slain militants belonged to Ansaar Gazwatul Hind and Albadr.
-ARK
