Army major killed in Kashmir gun battle
Two army men, including a major, and as many militants were killed in two separate gun battles in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, officials said. The Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed the attack on soldiers.
The gun fights in south Kashmir, the hotbed of insurgency, came barely 48 hours after security forces killed a top Lashkar-eTaiba commander, Abu Dujana, in the same area.
Major Kamlesh Pandey and sepoy Tanzin Chhultim were killed when militants fired at security forces in the Zaipora area of Shopian district on Thursday morning. Security forces launched a search operation late on Wednesday after they were tipped off about militants’ presence in the area.
“The trapped militants escaped after firing at the soldiers,” a police officer said.
SRINAGAR: Two army men, including a major, and as many militants were killed in two separate gun battles in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, officials said. The Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed the attack on soldiers.
The gun fights in south Kashmir, the hotbed of insurgency, came barely 48 hours after security forces killed a top Lashkar-eTaiba commander, Abu Dujana, in the same area.
Major Kamlesh Pandey and sepoy Tanzin Chhultim were killed when militants fired at security forces in the Zaipora area of Shopian district on Thursday morning.
Security forces launched a search operation late on Wednesday after they were tipped off about militants’ presence in the area.
“The trapped militants escaped after firing at the sol- diers,” a district police officer told the Hindustan Times.
The Hizbul Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack. Local news agency KNS quoted the home-grown militant outfit as saying: “Field operational commander congratulates the militants and announces cash reward for them.”
Maj Pandey is survived by his wife and a two-year-old daughter. The army described him as a “spirited and daring officer”. He hailed from Almora in Uttrakhand and had joined the force five years ago.
The 25-year-old Chhultim of Lahaul Spiti in Himachal Pradesh joined the army in September 2012, two months after Pandey. He was “a highly professional soldier and a true patriot”, the army said. He is survived by his parents.
The last rites of the two men would be performed at their native places with full military honours.
Kashmir has seen a spurt in gun battles with the government hardening its stand against militants after a recent surge in violent street protests and attacks on security forces.
The Shopian gun battle came within hours of a similar exchange in Gopalpora area of Kulgam district where two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in an overnight assault.
Police identified the militants as Aaqib Ahmad Itoo of Gopalpora and Suhail Ahmad Rather son of Tantraypora Yaripora.
Police said Itoo was involved in the May attack on a cash van of Jammu & Kashmir Bank that left which five policemen and two bank guards dead. He also killed a policeman at Yaripora and robbed a bank.
Rather instigated people and fired indiscriminately upon security personnel during protests, police said.
“Last night in a joint operation 2 terrorists were killed at Gopalpora #Kulgam. Well done boys!” director general of state police SP Vaid tweeted.
Hundreds of people gathered at the funerals of Itoo and Rather, local media reports said. Militants offered “gun salutes” to Rather.