 Syed Tahir Bukhari
Early Times Report
BARAMULLA, Jan 14: A foreign militant of LeT outfit was eliminated in an encounter in Chankhan area of Sopore town in Baramulla district of North Kashmir on Wednesday afternoon.
A senior police official told early Times that, "on a specific inputs about the presence of militants, a joint team of police, Army's 52 RR, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Special Operation Group (SOG) from Sopore launched a cordon and search operation at Sofi Hamam mohalla in Chankhan area of Sopore town.
Official said that, the house of Tariq Ahmad Sofi, in which the militant had taken shelter, after being chased by the forces, has been partially damaged.
Reliable sources told Early Times that, the Rashtriya Rifle along with SOG launched the search operation on the intervening night of Jan 13-14. The whole area was effectively cordoned preventing escape of militants, as the other areas was also cordoned in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
Before the encounter took place, all the civilians in and around the encounter site were evacuated to safer places, sources informed.
However a government official said that, the hiding militant in the area started heavy volume of fire on Wednesday morning, after which the exact location of hiding militant was established.
During the search operation, a militant fired upon the joint search party triggering an encounter. One unidentified militant was killed in the encounter on Wednesday afternoon, official said.
Official added and said that the identity of a slain militant was not ascertained yet but it is believed that the foreign militant was of Lashkar-e Toiba (LeT) outfit.
According to official, the slain militant of Lashkar-e Toiba (LeT) was present in the Sopore area from last couple of days as earlier he was active in Kupwara district and was wanted in several cases.
"One AK-47 rifle, 3 Magazines, 89 rounds of AK ammunition, a UBGL, 03 UBGL rounds and a hand Grenade were recovered from the site of an operation, official said.
Meanwhile early times have learnt from sources that General officer Commanding (GOC) Chinar Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha has commended the Rashtriya Rifles, and SOG of Sopore area, who were part of the operation.
The search operation was going on in the area till the last reports came in. |
