Army jawan, SPO killed in Pulwama encounter

Militants flee, searches going on

SRINAGAR: An Army jawan and a special police officer (SPO) attained martyrdom on Tuesday in an encounter with militants in Pulwama district, even as the two holed-up ultras, affiliated with Jaish-e-Muhammad terror outfit, reportedly managed to give the security forces a slip.

According to reports, police had a specific input about the presence of militants in the Zand village of Khrew area in Tral.

The area was cordoned off and search operation was launched by Army’s 50 RR, 185 Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force and Special Operations Group of J&K Police.

“A contact was eventually established with the militants, who were hiding in a house that led to the fire fight,” a police official informed.

In the initial exchange of fire, special police officer Shahbaz Ahmad was killed on the spot while Sepoy Rahul Rainswal of 50 RR was injured during the gunfight and succumbed to the injuries later, he said.

While initial reports said that two militants have also been killed, including Rayees Ahmad Dar of Zovastan in Tral, the ensuing searches of the encounter site yield no bodies of the ultras.

Reports said that the two militants militants managed to flew away from the snow-bound area.

A massive operation was going on till late in the area, even as an official statement from police was awaited.

This was the second major encounter in Kashmir in the past two days.

On Monday, three militants were killed in Shopian, including top Hizbul Mujhahideen commander Wasim, Adil Bashir and Jehangir.

Wasim was involved in the killing of eight people, including four security men in the valley.

Last year, Adil had decamped with eight Ak 47 rifles from the official residence of the then MLA Aijaz Mir from People's Democratic Party.