STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: A terrorist was killed on Saturday in an encounter between security forces and four to five top Hizbul Mujahideen militants who were holed up in a house in Tral on the city outskirts.
Officials sources said special forces of army were deployed to carry out a combing operation in the area.
The gunfight broke out late Saturday evening after security forces cordoned off the house.
The body of a Pakistani militant has been recovered and search is on for others, they said.
Curfew has been clamped in this area, 10 km from here, as protesters had gathered near the encounter site.
Half of the house was brought down by the security forces but militants were still firing on them.
Meanwhile, a service rifle of a CRPF jawan on duty was on Saturday snatched allegedly by unidentified people during a clash between security forces and protesters in Pulwama district, police said.
A group of youth indulged in stone-pelting on police and paramilitary forces at bus stand in Tral, 33 kms from here, after security forces launched a cordon and search operation at Hafoo-Zameenpora village following information about presence of militants, a police official said.
He said security forces deployed in the area chased the protesters resulting in a clash which was still continuing when last reports were received.
Although there was no report of any casualty in the clashes, the official said an INSAS rifle of a CRPF jawan was reportedly snatched and taken away by some youth.
A hunt has been launched to recover the stolen weapon, the official said. He said reinforcements have also been rushed to the besieged village and efforts are on to locate and flush out the hiding terrorists.
Shopian encounter: Ops called off after terrorists manage to flee
Srinagar: The overnight anti-terror operation in south Kashmir’s Shopian district was called off on Saturday as the terrorists managed to escape from the security forces’ cordon.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Chillipora village of the district on Friday night following information about the presence of terrorists there, a police official said.
He said a gunfight broke out between the two sides as the security forces were closing on the terrorists’ positions.
The exchange of fire between the two sides ended late last night but the security forces did not lift the cordon with the aim of stopping the terrorists from fleeing.
“House to house searches were launched at day break today but no arrests were made. The terrorists had apparently managed to escape last night itself,” the official said. There were no casualties reported in the encounter.
Meanwhile, six CRPF personnel sustained injuries as their mobile bunker vehicle turned turtle while chasing a group of “miscreants” at Heff area of the district, the official said.
He said several persons had assembled by the roadside at Heff and were holding protests against the operation of the security forces in the nearby area.
The CRPF vehicle skid off the road and turned turtle, resulting in injuries to six jawans, he said, adding that the injured personnel were admitted to a local hospital.
