SRINAGAR : With the first light this morning, security forces resumed search operation in the woods in the frontier district of Kupwara, where a brief encounter followed after the arrest of a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) foreign militants. However, there was no report of any casualty in the encounter so far, official sources said here today.
They said security forces and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police resumed search operation in Sheikh Nard forest in Sogam.
The operation was stopped in the dense forest late last night due to darkness. A brief encounter ensued between militants hiding in the woods and security forces after a top LeT commander was arrested last evening at Sogam market in Lobal in Kupwara. However, two of his accomplishes manage to give a slip to security forces.
Later, security forces and SOG immediately launched a search operation in Nagbal and Sheikh Nard forest area in Sogam. However, when security forces were moving towards a particular area in the forest, militants hiding there fired at them with automatic weapons.
The security forces also retaliated ensuing an encounter, they said, adding the exchange of fire continued for an hour. Additional security forces were rushed to the area to cordon off the forest area to foil any attempt by the militants to escape.
The top LeT commander, identified as Abu Ukasha alias Hanzullah, believed to be a Pakistani resident, was arrested along with a grenade at Sogam market in Lobal in Kupwara at around 1900 hrs.
They said following specific information, police intercepted a person at Sogam market in Lobal in Kupwara at around 1900 hrs. “During checking, a grenade and cash was recovered from the person, who has been identified as Abu Ukasha alias Hanzullah, believed to be a Pakistani resident,” they said. (AGENCIES)
