Kupwara: 10-yr-old girl, 3 terrorists killed in shootout
The militants, who were hiding in the slain girl's house, opened fire when security forces were sealing the area.
Srinagar: Three militants -- all believed to be Pakistani nationals -- were killed in a shootout with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s frontier district of Kupwara since Tuesday night.
A 10-year-old resident, identified as Kaneeza Tanveeza, also died whereas her brother Faisal was critically injured during the clash, officials said.
However, there are mixed reports on the cause of her death.While one report said that Tanveeza died of a massive cardiac arrest, another talked about her being hit by a “stray bullet”. She was the daughter of Muhammad Khushi Chaki, whose house was being used by the militants to hide. He was also shot dead by security forces during the encounter.
The police and Army officials said that the security forces laid siege to Kund Nar of Kupwara’s Batapora, Haihama area on Tuesday evening to take on a group of militants hiding in a private house close to a gully surrounded by thick forest. The forces included the J&K Police’s counterinsurgency Special Operations Group (SOG), the Army’s 41 Rashtriya Rifles and 98 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force.
In the ensuing encounter, all the three militants were killed and a SOG jawan was injured, the officials said. They added many AK 47 rifles with some ammunition were found with the slain men.
Officials also confirmed that one civilian was also killed “after being hit by a stray bullet” during the encounter.
On the other hand, hospital sources said that the policeman was in critical condition with a bullet wound on his chest, above the heart.
Furthermore, officials claimed that the cordon-and-search operation was launched in the area following a tip off about the presence of militants.
The militants had started to fire indiscriminately as security forces were sealing the area sparking the encounter.