2 encounters in Valley leave 8 militants dead
Two slain terrorists had taken shelter in a mosque
● With this, the number of militants killed in J&K this year has risen to 135 including 121 in hinterland and 14 along the LoC and IB.
The Army on Friday claimed that it sees a ‘palpable change’ on ground after each operation carried out against militants in Jammu and Kashmir and said the endeavour made together with local police and other security forces to bring peace is revealing glaring feats.
“With every operation that is being concluded we are moving on the path of peace. I can feel it on ground, there’s a palpable difference that at the end of every operation the next operation is taking place under much cleaner circumstances,” commander of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt. Gen. Baggavalli Somashekhar Raju told reporters here.
He said eight militants were killed in two encounters that took place in south Kashmir’s twin districts of Shopian and Pulwama during past 24 hours. Two among the slain had taken shelter in a mosque in Pampore area of Pulwama and had rejected appeals from security officials and local imam to surrender after which they too were neutralised while exercising utmost restraint keeping the view of the sanctity of the place of worship.
Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Vijay Kumar claimed that no bullets were fired or improvised explosive devices used in the operation against the militant duo holed up in the mosque.
“We fired tear smoke shells only in order to maintain the sanctity of the mosque. It was patience and professionalism that worked,” he said.
Endorsing him, Lt. Gen. Raju said, “The clash took place next to a mosque and extreme restraint was exercised by the security forces to ensure no damage is caused to the structure.”
A police officer who spoke to this newspaper on condition of anonymity said that one militant was shot dead outside the mosque in Pampore’s Meej village while another injured in the shooting along with a third militant fled into the place of worship.
“They too were eventually neutralised without any collateral damage. Perhaps one of them died due to blood loss and the other fell reportedly after hit in the head by a teargas canister.”
In the second gunfight that took place in Shopian’s Bandhpawa Munand village, five militants were killed. A statement issued by J&K police here said the identities of the slain militants are being ascertained. “The bodies have been sent to Baramulla for conducting medico-legal formalities including collection of their DNA followed by their last rites. In case any family claims the killed terrorists to be their kith or kin, they can come forward for the identification and participation in last rites at Baramulla,” the statement said.
With this, the number of suspected militants killed in J&K, so far, this year has risen to 135 including 121 in hinterland and 14 along the Line of Control and International Border with Pakistan.