Major operation launched in Gadool forests
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU Sept 13: An Army Colonel, a Major and the Deputy Superintendent of Police were martyred in an encounter with militants in Gadole area of Kokernag in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district today.
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They have been identified as Colonel Manpreet Singh, who was the Commanding Officer of 19 RR, Major Aashish Dhonchak, DySP of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Bhat. They were critically injured in the gunfight and were airlifted to Srinagar. However, all of them succumbed.
An official said that based on specific information about the presence of militants, a joint team of Police and the army launched a search and cordon operation in Gadole Kokernag yesterday.
He said that the operation was halted last night due to hostile terrain and darkness.
As the joint team led by Colonel Singh was moving towards the target area this morning, militants opened indiscriminate fire on them in which an Army Colonel, Major, besides DySP of Police were injured. Later, they succumbed to their injuries.
Director General of Police (DGP), Dilbag Singh, General Officer Commanding, 15 Corps, Lt General Rajiv Ghai and Additional Director General of Police, Vijay Kumar rushed to the encounter spot on hearing about the injuries caused to three senior officers in the operation.
Additional troops were sent to the encounter spot and the entire forest area of Gadool has been cordoned off in a bid to track down the militants.
Search operation is going on and helicopters have also been pressed into service. High beam lights have been installed and cordon has been tightened to ensure that the militants don’t flee the area.
Singh Dhonchak Bhat
Falcon Squad of The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on social media. It said the attack was the revenge for the killing of Mohammad Riyaz of Poonch, who was killed in Rawalakote in Pak-occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK) last week.
In May this year, in a similar attack, three soldiers – Havaldar Babulal Haritwal, Signalman Vala Mahipalsinh Pravinsinh and Rifleman Waseem Sarwar were martyred in Halan forests in Kulgam district.
The operation was launched on specific inputs regarding the presence of militants on the higher reaches of Halan forests in Kulgam.
A wreath laying ceremony was held in Srinagar this evening where Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, DGP Dilbag Singh, ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, SSP Srinagar Rakesh Bhalwal besides a number of Police, Army and CRPF officials participated and paid rich tributes to martyred DySP Bhat.
The officers laid wreaths on the coffin draped with tri-colour. Emotional scenes were witnessed when martyred DySP’s father, the former DIG Ghulam Hassain Bhat, also paid floral tributes to his son and offered him the last salute.
Pall of gloom descended Friends Colony Humhama when the body of martytr DySP Bhat reached his home in Budgam district this evening.
Women were seen wailing and shrieks filled the air as the coffin came out of the ambulance. Hundreds of people including senior security force officials participated in the last rites of DySP Humayun.
Bhat originally from Tral area of Pulwama district and now living in Humhama Budgam was a 2018 batch JKPS officer and was married a year and a half ago. He became a father recently as his son was born a month ago.
LG visits family of DySP
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 13: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, paid homage by laying wreath on the mortal remains of DySP Humayun Bhat who laid down his life during an operation in Anantnag district today.
The Lt Governor also paid tribute to Indian Army’s brave martyrs Col Manpreet Singh and Major Ashish Dhancok. He said the entire nation stands firmly with their families in this hour of grief.
Later, Sinha met the family members of martyr DySP Humayun Bhat and expressed his deep condolences and stated that the nation is proud of police officers like him.
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