Surankote encounter: i10 car seized
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 13: Army and Poonch Police today gunned down two Pakistani militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit while a Kashmiri ultra surrendered and a civilian was rescued at Tatta Pani near Poshana area in the Pir Panjal range of Surankote in Poonch district.
Official sources told the Excelsior that two Pakistani militants of the LeT outfit infiltrated from the Line of Control (LoC) around 10 days back and a Kashmiri militant identified as Mubarak Ahmad Thokar son of Mohammad Abdullah Thokar, a resident of Kumhar Mohalla in Ramnagri area of Shopian district had reached Mughal road in i10 car No. 1838 JK11A to take them to Kashmir.
However, due to sudden snowfall on Mughal road, the militants were stuck. As there were no chances of early clearance of the road, the Pakistani militants along with their Kashmiri associate started trekking on foot to the Valley. From village Dogrian, they kidnapped a civilian Talib Hussain on December 7 and asked him to bring food for them.
Talib was rescued by the police.
Troops of 16 Rashtriya Rifles and Poonch Police launched massive search operation in Pir Panjal ranges along Mughal Road in Surankote tehsil after getting report of presence of the militants.
SSP Poonch Ramesh Angral led police party in the operation.
Sources said the militants were spotted in a dhok at Tatta Pani when they were heading towards Kashmir this morning
The militants were asked to surrender. The Kashmiri militant surrendered, sources said, adding two Pakistani militants opened firing on Army and police which was retaliated. In the heavy exchange of gunfire, both the militants were killed.
They have been identified as Sajid Bhai and Bilal Bhai, both Pakistanis affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit.
Recoveries made from their possession include two AK rifles with six magazines and 300 rounds, one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher, five hand grenades, 300 grams RDX, two mobile telephones and one Thuraya satellite telephone.
Security personnel didn’t suffer any casualties in the operation.
The i10 car brought by the Kashmiri militant to take Pakistanis to Kashmir has been seized.
The arrested Kashmiri militant is being questioned to ascertain details about slain militants.
Meanwhile, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing and mortar shelling on forward posts and villages in two sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Poonch and Kathua districts.
Indian forces retaliated befittingly to silence the Pakistani guns, the officials said, adding that there was no report of any casualty on the Indian side.
“At about 5.45 pm (Sunday), Pakistan (army) initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling mortars along the LoC in Degwar sector of Poonch,” a defence spokesman said.
He said the Indian Army retaliated befittingly and the cross-border shelling between the two sides was going on when last reports were received.
Pakistani Rangers also opened fire on forward posts and villages along the IB in Kathua district of Jammu region, the officials said.
They said the firing from across the border in the Pansar border outpost area in Hiranagar sector started around 10 pm on Saturday, drawing strong and effective retaliation from the Border Security Force (BSF).
The cross-border firing between the two sides continued till 3.45 am on Sunday, forcing border residents to spend the night in underground bunkers, the officials said.
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