South Kashmir gunfight: JeM militant killed, Major injured

Rameez Bhatt:

A Jash-e-Mohammad militant was killed and an army Major injured in a fierce gun battle between militants and the government forces in Tral town of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Wednesday.

Official sources said a joint team of police and 42 Rashtriya Rifles conducted a cordon-and-search operation in Dadsar village in Tral this morning.

The joint team zeroed in on a house belonging to Gul Mir Son of Mohammad Akram Mir, a lone militant trapped inside it, was asked to surrender but he refused, they said.

Later, an encounter ensued and continued for some time before the joint team reportedly razed the house to rubble by using mortar shells.

Eventually, body of the militant was recovered from the debris and he later was identified as JeM’s Shabir Ahmad Khan alias Shabir Gujjar of Ladiyar Tral.

An army Major identified as Maj Kuliya was injured in the encounter and his condition was stated to be stabled. He had an injury on head, they said.

They sources said that Gujjjar was actually injured after a group of militants ambushed 42 RR patrol near Mir Mohalla, neighboring area to the encounter site, last night.

The joint team, they said, is believed to have spotted the house where militant had taken refuge by following blood stains.

Meanwhile, locals staged massive protest demonstrations against the incident and also accused forces of using excessive tear smoke during the encounter.  The protesters also reportedly clashed with the police and army.

Superintendent of Police Awantipora could not be contacted despite repeated attempts to cross check the reports.