3 LeT terrorists killed, Soldier martyred
TNN Bureau. Updated: 11/22/2017 12:55:15 AM
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Op All-Out: 21 in 21 days
SRINAGAR: Achieving yet another major success against the terrorists in Kashmir Valley, much in line with the centre's assertion of intensifying action against those wielding guns, the security forces on Tuesday killed three Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in Kupwara district, while in another gunfight that broke out later in the day in a nearby area in same district, an Army Havaldar attained martyrdom while two other jawans received injuries.
Tuesday's success has brought in the total number of terrorists killed so far in the month of November to 21, thus making one less terrorist for each day of the month, exhibiting the huge success that operation All-Out has been.
In first encounter of the day, three Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists were killed in a gunfight with security forces in the Handwara area of Kupwara.
The security forces launched a joint search operation- conducted by the CRPF, J&K Police and the Indian Army-at Magam in the Handwara area of Kupwara district in north Kashmir following information about the presence of terrorists there, a police official said.
"We started operations at midnight on specific information of terrorists hiding. Terrorists, who were hiding in a house, were asked to surrender but they kept firing.
"The troops retaliated and in the exchange of fire, which lasted over an hour, three Pakistani terrorists of the LeT were killed, and arms and ammunition recovered," IGP Kashmir Munir Khan told media.
"Pakistan is trying hard to push as many militants as they can across LoC and anytime snowfall will start. So, this is the time we should be very alert," Khan added.
Following the encounter, DGP J&K Police SP Vaid congratulated the security forces on Twitter.
Later in the afternoon, another encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces at Zirhama in the Trehgam area of the district.
Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia told UNI that following specific information about presence of terrorists at Zirhama in Kupwara, a joint search operation was launched by 21 RR, 98th battalion of CRPF and Special Operations Group (SOG) of state police in the area.
However, when security forces were moving towards a particular area, terrorists hiding there, fired at them with automatic weapons.
The security force also retaliated ensuing in an encounter.
"Three Army jawans were injured in the exchange of fire," he said.
The injured were immediately taken to a hospital, where one of them succumbed.
The martyr has been identified as Havaldar Jitender Singh of 21 Raj Rifles.
"The militant group of Lashkar-e-Toiba headed by Saifullah were moving towards LoC to receive a group of infiltrators as per our sources," the officer said.
Additional security forces were rushed to further cordon off the area to foil any attempts by terrorists to escape, he added.