Violence flares in Kashmir Valley again, 5 die

Srinagar: At least two policemen, an equal number of militants and an Army jawan were killed as Kashmir Valley witnessed a series of sneak attacks and a fire fight on Friday. One policeman was critically injured in renewed violence, officials said.

The officials in Srinagar said that two Islamic militants and an Army soldier were killed Friday in a fire-fight raging in Naid Khai area of northern Bandipore district. This came after two militants were gunned down by the troops in Bandipore’s Hajin are on Tuesday.

Giving details of the clash, the official said that the Army along with J&K police’s counter-insurgency special operations group (SOG) and the CRPF laid siege to Naid Khai at 7.45 am on Friday following an intelligence alert about the presence of militants in the area. “Two terrorists were killed in a swift operation launched in the village. However, one (Army) jawan laid down his life while fighting them,” a defence spokesman here said adding that the operation was still under way when reports last came in. However, the police said that the operation ended with the killing of the duo and that two AK assault rifles and some ammunition were found on them.  

Separately, two policemen were killed and one was injured in a sneak attack by militants in southern Kulgam district on Friday. The police sources said that a police naka party came under the attack in the main Kulgam town bazaar, leaving head-constable Tanveer Ahmed and constable Jalaluddin dead on the spot whereas their colleague constable Shamusuddin was critically injured.

The police reinforcements joined by columns of Army and the CRPF cordoned the area off to start searches but no arrests could be made as the assailants are believed to have fled the scene after the incident, the sources said.

A black-colour Santro car that was allegedly used by the militants to carry out the attack was later found left by them at a place called Laroo which is about one kilometre from the main town.

A wreath laying ceremony was held in district police lines Kulgam where floral tributes were paid to the police martyrs, a police spokesman said. “DIG (South Kashmir range) Nitesh Kumar led the civil, police officers and jawans in laying floral wreaths on the bodies of the martyrs,” the spokesman said.

Also, a police station was targeted by suspected militants in Handwara area of frontier district of Kupwara but without causing any casualties, the officials said. The police said that the militants hurled a hand grenade towards the police station and then opened fire at it from their AK assault rifles but were forced to flee the scene after the police retaliated by returning fire.