Baramulla, Mar 20: Army on Tuesday claimed to have killed four unidentified militants in an encounter in north Kupwara’s district, though police said that none of the bodies have been retrieved so far from the encounter site.
A top Army officer told ‘Kashmir Images’ that following specific inputs about militants hiding in Check Fatehkhan, which lies adjacent to forest area of Check Halmatpora, joint search operation was launched by Special Operations Group (SOG) of police and soldiers of Army’s 41 RR around 3 pm on Tuesday at Check Halmatpora forest area.
As the joint team intensified the searches, the militants hiding in the area opened fire, triggering an encounter. “Heavy firing is going on both sides as of 8:30 pm. Four militants have been killed so far. The operation is still going on,” an Army official from the encounter site said.
PRO Defence Rajesh Kalia also confirmed the killing of four militants, however, a senior police official of the district said they can’t confirm any killings yet.
“I can’t confirm to you if four militants have been killed so far as no body has been retrieved so far from the site of the gunfight,” SSP Kupwara Shamsher Hussian said.
He said the operation might prolong as the militants have taken shelter in the forest area and are responding to the fire from the forces intermittently.
Earlier, a senior police official said the militants hiding in the forest area near a human habitation fired upon a joint team of Special Operations Group (SOG) of police and army soldiers of 41 RR around 3pm.
Forces retaliated to the firing, triggering off a gunfight.
Further details were awaited while this report was being written.
