Srinagar
A massive search and combing operation is currently underway in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district where five forces personnel and five militants were killed after a 48-hour long gun battle.
PHOTO BY BILAL BAHADUR
According to reports, the forces are believed to be carrying out a massive door-to-door search on suspicion of more militants possibly hiding in the area.
Authorities have also rushed additional reinforcements to the forest area to take on militants.
The gunfight broke out on Tuesday inside Halmatpora forest area of Kupwara district.
The gunbattle left five forces personnel, including three Army men and two policemen, dead and five militants killed.
Giving details of the incident, a police spokesman later said that the encounter broke out in the Halmatpora area after a police party intercepted a group of militants.
A joint team of the Kupwara police along with companies of the Army, the Territorial Army (TA) and the CRPF were engaged in the operations which began last morning.
“Operation is at controlling stage, searches are underway at some places. We have recovered arms & ammunition in large quantity” IGP Kashmir SP Pani said.
The police spokesman said in the encounter, five militants were neutralised and added that all are believed to be foreign militants and part of a group that had freshly infiltrated the LoC.
In the encounter, two policemen Deepak Thusoo and SPO Mohd Yousuf, two army personnel Sepoy Ashraf Rather of 160 TA and Naik Ranjeet Kholka of 5 Bihar lost their lives, the spokesman said.
