Kupwara operation ends, army, cops pay tribute to slain troops

SRINAGAR: MUMBAI:For THE OPERATION, OFFICIALS SAID, WAS WRAPPED UP AFTER EXTENSIVE SEARCH OPERATIONS ON THURSDAY EVENING

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police and the Indian Army on Thursday paid tributes the five security men who were killed in a gun fight with militants in the forests of north Kashmir's Kupwara district that began on Tuesday.

The operation, officials said, was wrapped up after extensive search operations on Thursday evening.

The three soldiers of the Army who lost their lives have been identified as havildar Jorabar Singh, naik Ranjeet Khalkho and naik Mohd Ashraf Rather, while the slain policemen were special police officer (SPO) Mohammad Yousuf, a native of Kachama village of Kupwara, and selection grade constable Deepak Thesoo, a resident of Nagrota in the Jammu region.

In the bloodiest encounter in Kashmir so far this year, all five militants suspected to have recently crossed the line of control (LoC) were killed in the gunbattle that started in Halmatpora area of Kupwara.

“The five militants were all foreig. From the material we have at hand, it appears that they were part of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). It was a very difficult operation and unfolded in forest area with thick vegetation. Forces operated with maximum restraint,” said inspector general of police (IG), Kashmir range, SP Pani.

In a press statement, the Army said havildar Singh, 45, had joined Army in 1993 and hailed from Rait village in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. Naik Khalkho, 33, hailed from Dudhakhuti village in Ranchi, Jharkhand and had joined Army in 2001. Naik Rather, 35, was a Kashmiri from Kralpora in Kupwara.

“The mortal remains of the martyrs were flown for last rites to their native places, where they would be laid to rest with full military honours. In this hour of grief, the Army stands in solidarity with the bereaved families ...” it said.