Major among 4 soldiers martyred, 4 terrorists killed in Kashmir encounters;Critically injured CRPF CO airlifted to AIIMS

STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: Four army men, including a Major, and an equal number of militants were killed on Tuesday while eight other security personnel and a civilian were injured in two separate encounters in Kashmir, officials said.
In Kralgund area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, security forces gunned down three militants hiding in a residential house, a police official said.
Major S Dahiya was injured in the encounter and later succumbed to his injuries, the official said.
Earlier, another gunbattle erupted after security forces cordoned off Parray Mohalla of Hajin area of Bandipora district following information about presence of militants there, the police official said.
As the security forces were closing in, they came under fire from the hiding militants, the official said, adding 10 security personnel, including an officer, were injured in this.
Of them, three personnel succumbed to their injuries later, the official said.
One militant, whose identity has not been ascertained yet, was also killed in the operation, he added.
Ten security personnel, including an officer, were injured in the exchange of fire with the militants. The CRPF Commanding Officer Chetan Kumar Cheetah, who was grievously injured in the Hajin encounter, was airlifted to AIIMS after his condition deteriorated. Hailing from Rajasthan, Cheetah bore the initial brunt of the attack in Hajjan area where a joint team of army, CRPF and state police had laid seize following an intelligence input that two foreign terrorists were hiding in the area.
He was shifted to Army Base hospital in Srinagar but upon seeing his condition, which required expertise from various fields of medicine including neurology, a decision was taken to shift him to Delhi, officials said.
Special Director General of CRPF S N Shrivastava, who looks after Jammu and Kashmir, immediately requestioned an air ambulance to shift him to the national capital, they said.
After the encounter, Shrivastava, who is posted in Jammu, rushed to the spot to boost the morale of his officers and jawans, they said.
45-year-old Cheetah, who commands 45th Battalion of the CRPF, had received gunshot wounds in his eye, hands, waist and pelvic region, they added.
Of them, three personnel succumbed to their injuries later, the official said.
The two encounters took place two days after four militants and two soldiers were killed in a gunbattle in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. Two civilians were also killed in that encounter.
On specific information about presence of militants, Army’s 30 RR in a joint operation with Jammu and Kashmir police’s SOG wing cordoned the area.
“When army was searching the area, they (militants) opened fire,” Army spokesperson said, adding, “In retaliation fire three terrorists were neutralised.” During the operation, one of our jawan also received minor bullet injuries, he said.