Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Nov 14: In a major infiltration bid foiled by the Army today on the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowgam sector of the frontier district of Kupwara, two militants and three Army personnel were killed and two Army jawans injured.
Srinagar based spokesman of Army’s 15 Corps, Lt Colonel Ankur Vashist, said here today that a major infiltration bid was foiled in Nowgam sector of Kupwara district by army early today. He said alert troops noticed movement of a group of about five heavily armed militants near the LoC in the wee hours today.
The spokesman said that the infiltrators were challenged by the Army when they fired leading to a fierce gun battle in which two militants were killed so far. He said two AK assault rifles and large quantity of ammunition has been recovered from the encounter site.
The spokesman said three Army personnel were also killed in the encounter while two were injured in the operation. The operation was going on till late in the evening and Army has put it on hold for the night but the entire area has been cordoned off so that the other militants may not manage to flee from the cordon.
More troops were rushed to the area to lay ambushes in the surrounding area so as to trap the militants’ right near the LoC, said the spokesman.
This is the second major infiltration bid foiled by the troops near the LoC in Kupwara district within a week. On November 9, Army foiled a major infiltration bid by eliminating 4 heavily armed militants in Keran sector of the frontier district of Kupwara in North Kashmir while two infiltrators managed to flee back to the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) in injured condition.
These militants were trying to infiltrate through Shamsabari mountains in Keran sector when troops deployed on Balbir Post near Hanuman Top noticed movement of 6-7 heavily armed militants and challenged them. Four of them were killed while two others managed to flee back to PoK in injured condition. Army recovered 5 AK Rifles besides huge quantity of arms and ammunition from the encounter site.
The infiltration this year has increased after security forces eliminated top militant leadership in Kashmir valley during past one year, forcing the militant leaders across in PoK to push in more militants especially commanders.
There are conflicting reports about the number of militants who have infiltrated into Kashmir this year. However, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps, Om Prakash, said last week around 40 militants have infiltrated into Kashmir this year despite tight vigil along LoC. He said that they too will be eliminated soon.
Army said that there are around 500-600 militants waiting across the LoC in PoK to infiltrate into Kashmir for past one year. “The tight vigil along the LoC and border fence has made their efforts difficult”, said Army.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Baramulla based 19-Divison of the Army, Major General Bipin Rawat, said last week that Pakistani troops are violating ceasefire in Hajipeer sector of Uri to divert attention of the Army so as to help militants to infiltrate from other areas.
Meanwhile a militant killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district yesterday has been identified as a top commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).
Police identified him as Shabir Ahmad Mir, a resident of Yaripora in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district. He was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Kujjan village in Kulgam district.
The militant was initially identified as Showkat Ahmad Tak, a resident of Panzgam in Tral area of Pulwama district. When Tak’s family members were called to a police station for taking the body, they informed cops that the deceased was not their kin.
Mir was a top Lashkar commander and an ‘A’ category ultra who was carrying a cash reward on his head. He joined LeT only last year but was said to be involved in the killing of a police constable in July this year in Kulgam district.
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