KL Report
SRINAGAR
Four militants and two troopers were killed and three army men including an officer sustaining injuries in two separate encounters at Keran sector and Kalaroos in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Sunday.
Official sources had earlier told GNS that a group of at least 6-8 infiltrators who had sneaked in to this side of Line of Control near Z-Gali in Machil sector likely on August 21/22. The group after reaching Dhok Behak area of Nunwani in Kalaroos was intercepted by the army’s 41 RR and 45 RR.
“The militants after being challenged opened fire upon the forces, the fire was retaliated ensuing in to a fierce gun battle”, they said, adding that the helicopters were also pressed into service.
During the gunfight four militants and an army man have been killed and three army men including an officer got injured, they said.
Among the three injured, two troopers have been identified as Naik Vinod Kumar of 45 RR and Naik Niraj Kumar Singh of 57 RR were immediately airlifted to army’s 92 base hospital here in Badambagh Srinagar where Niraj Kumar succumbed to injuries, they said.
“A reinforcement of army’s 18 RR and 28 RR also cordoned off the all forest routes connecting to Nunwani Kalaroos”, they said.
When reports last came in the operation was still going on.
Keran Sector encounter: Army man killed
In another similar incident, an Army man was killed after a group of militants attacked army’s patrol along Line of Control (LoC) in Keran sector of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district Saturday night.
Official sources said that a group of militants opened fire upon army’s patrolling party of 23 Grenadier (under 268 Infantry Division) at Mundian forest in Keran sector late last night.
“In the attack an army man Sepoy Rahul Kumar, 22, (Belt no. 270831 P) sustained critical bullet injuries”, sources said, adding that the injured trooper was immediately shifted to army hospital in Drugmulla in the district where from he was airlifted to army’s 92 base hospital here in Srinagar.
However, today morning the injured army man succumbed to injuries, they said.
Kumar, a resident of Bulandsahar in Uttar Pradesh, they said that his body is being sent to his native village.
They said that the militant group believed to be 4-5 in number managed to escape after carrying out the attack. However, an extra contingent of forces rushed to the area to combat the militants hiding in the area.
A senior defence official while confirming the death of a army man said that the operation in the area is still in progress to trace down the militant group.
