6 injured in grenade attack
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Dec 9: Three militants of Al-Badr outfit were killed in an encounter at Tiken village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district today while six civilians were injured in a grenade attack in Baramulla district of North Kashmir.
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Security forces including Police, Army’s 55 RR and CRPF launched an operation in Tiken village of Pulwama in the wee hours today.
As the security forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, leading to an encounter.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said that after initial exchange of fire, when it was found that the trapped militants are locals, they were repeatedly asked to surrender by the security forces. “However, they turned down repeated surrender offers and fired upon security forces, who retaliated and in the ensuing gunfight three militants were killed,” he said.
Kumar identified the three militants as Mehraj-ud Din Lone son of Bashir Ahmad Lone, resident of Arigam, Pulwama, Umar Ali son of Ali Muhammad Mir resident of Dadsara Awantipora and Owais Farooq son of Farooq Ahmad Allaie, resident of Kadlabal, Chersoo Awantipora.
All three were missing since August this year. Umar Ali was brother of Shahnawaz Ahmad Mir, who was also a militant and was killed in an encounter on 1st July 2013 in North Kashmir.
The encounter took place in South Kashmir after a gap of one month as earlier on 10th November two local militants were killed in Kutpora in district Shopian.
Army, in a tweet, said that three militants were killed in Pulwama encounter.
“Recoveries include- AK rifle- 1, magazines- 5 with 140 rounds – pistol- 2, magazines- 2 with 2 rounds and joint operation over”, the tweet read.
A police spokesman in a statement issued that one Zamir Sadiq Lone in whose house the militants were hiding also received gunshot injuries and was evacuated to hospital for the treatment of his injuries wherehis condition is stated to be stable.
“As per police records, the killed militants were part of groups involved in many crime cases including planning and executing several major attacks on security forces,” the statement said.
“Keeping in view the prevailing pandemic and to ensure the safety of people from inherent risk of contracting the infection, the dead bodies of the killed militants shall be sent to Baramulla for their burial and last rites after completion of medico-legal formalities. The nearest family members of the killed militants shall be allowed to participate in the last rites at Baramulla”, the statement said.
In the meantime, a woman was among six persons injured in a grenade attack in the main market of Singhpora area of Pattan in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Militants hurled a grenade on a security force vehicle in the main market of Singhpora, which missed the intended target, resulting in injuries to six civilians including a non-local resident from Uttar Pradesh and a woman from Handwara.
The injured were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment from where they were referred to SMHS hospital Srinagar for advanced treatment.
The injured were identified the as Ghulam Mohammad Parray son of Mohammad Ramzan Parray, Gulzar Ahmad Khan son Ghulam Mohiuddin, Manzoor Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, Zubair Ahmad Dar son of Ashiq Dar-all residents of Singhpora, Tabasum daughter of Abdul Rehman Bhat, a resident of Doodipora Handwara and Farman Ali of Uttar Pradesh.
The IGP said that one militant of JeM, Tariq Ahmed Bhat son of Bashir Ahmed Bhat of Hanjigund Chadoora in district Budgam was arrested during naka checking.
He said one pistol and ammunition have been recovered from his possession.