Three more terrorists dead in Kashmir; toll 9 in 3 days

Sahil Rasgotra. Updated: 8/10/2018 9:03:32 AM Front Page

NAC reviews security, briefs Governor; hideout busted in Poonch

SRINAGAR: There is no let up in security forces’s recently launched major offensive against the terrorists as it gunned down another terrorist in the Rafiabad forests in north Kashmir on Thursday where four of them were killed yesterday, while bodies of two more terrorists—infiltrators from across the border were found today in the search operations which have been continuing since Tuesday when two of their fellow ultras were killed, thus taking the toll of terrorists killed in past three days to nine.

In the fallout of these recent encounters, the Chief of Army's Northern Command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, arrived in Valley on a two-day visit to review the security situation before briefing Governor N N Vohra about the same in a periodic security review meeting at Raj Bhavan.

This all took place even as the Army recovered a large quantity of arms and explosive material including four firearms and 14 grenades during a search operation in Poonch district of Jammu region.

On Thursday early morning, the security forces neutralised another terrorist who was a part of the group of five ultras—four of whom were killed yesterday.

“One more terrorist was killed early Thursday morning in the encounter going on in the dense forests from the last couple of days in the Dooniwari forests of Rafiabad in Baramulla district, taking the death toll to five,” Defence sources informed.

Four terrorists were killed yesterday, while a para commando of the Indian Army also sustained injuries in the gunfight.

Director General of Police SP Vaid took to Twitter to confirm the death of the fifth terrorist.

“The fifth terrorist was killed after he fired this morning,” the DGP wrote.

Weapons and other war-like stores were recovered from the encounter site, the Army has said, adding that the search operation was going on.
As the day went by, there was more in store for security forces as Army's search party retrieved two terrorists’ bodies in Bakhtoor area along the Line of Control (LoC) at Gurez sector in north Kashmir's Bandipora district.

On Tuesday, two terrorist bodies were found after a gunfight which saw four soldiers including an Army major getting martyred, but not before foiling a major infiltration bid.

On Thursday, the search operation launched in Bakhtoor area by Army's 36 RR and 4 PARA Commandos since then yielded results when bodies of two terrorists were found.

A senior police officer informed that both the terrorists belong to Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit and their identities are being ascertained.

As per sources, Army has used sniffer dogs and pressed helicopters into service to trace out the fleeing “infiltrators”.

The search operation is still underway, they said.

In the backdrop of these incidents, the Chief of Army's Northern Command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, arrived here on a two-day visit to review the security situation in Kashmir.

He, accompanied by Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen A K Bhatt, visited the hinterland formations in south Kashmir and was briefed by the commanders on ground about the current situation, defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said.

"The Army commander arrived in Srinagar on a two-day visit today. The (purpose of the) visit is to review the prevailing security situation in the wake of recent counter infiltration and counter terrorist operations which led to elimination of many terrorists," he said.

Lt Gen Singh was appreciative of the measures and Standard Operating Procedures instituted by the units and formations to minimise civilian causalities, he added.

The need to be prepared for effectively meeting emerging security challenges was also reinforced.

Lauding the excellent synergy amongst all the security forces, the Army commander exhorted all ranks to maintain a safe, secure and peaceful environment for the people of Kashmir, the spokesman said.

Later in the day, Lt Gen Singh called on Governor N N Vohra at Raj Bhavan in furtherance of periodic security reviews at Governor-Army Commander level.

Governor and Army Commander had extensive discussions to review issues relating to internal and external security management, particularly the recent past pattern of infiltration attempts across the LoC.

Meanwhile, the Army today recovered a large quantity of arms and explosive material including four firearms and 14 grenades during a search operation in Poonch district, an official said.

Army troops launched a search operation at 9 am which ended at 12 pm in the KP Nala area of Mandi tehsil and recovered a large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosive material, PRO Defence Jammu said.

The recoveries include one 9mm Pistol, three magazines of pistol, four rounds of 9mm pistol, four carrying bags, one AK-56 rifle (with sling), three magazines of AK-56 rifle with ammunition, one unidentified weapon, one revolver, 14 hand grenades and one AK-47 bayonet, he said.


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