Militant killed in Bandipora; Army foils 2 infiltration bids
Srinagar, September 22: While the Army on Thursday claimed to have foiled two fresh infiltration bids, a militant was killed in the first anti-militancy operation in Kashmir in past over two months.
The gun fight in north Kashmir's Bandipora district began on Thursday morning when joint teams of police and Army cordoned Argam Chiti-Bandi, after an input about the presence of three to five militants in the area.
“As the search was launched, militants opened fire triggering a gun fight. In the exchange of fire one militant, believed to be a foreigner, was killed,” police said. However, as the operation was underway in the village, there was a serious law-and-order problem and the forces had to call off the operation.
There are reports that other militants may have escaped taking advantage of the situation.
This was the first counter-insurgency operation undertaken in the Kashmir hinterland since the July 8 killing of militant commander Burhan Wani. His killing triggered a massive unrest in the Valley and the anti-militancy operations were halted due to the internal disturbances. The unrest has helped militants consolidate themselves in the Valley.
Meanwhile, the Army foiled the latest infiltration bids in Nowgam sector in north Kashmir's Kupwara district.
“The Army has upped its vigil in view of the increased Pakistan-abetted infiltration attempts along the LoC. On Wednesday night, two groups trying to sneak in were intercepted and forced to retreat,” an Army spokesman said in Srinagar.
The two bids were foiled even as two other counter-infiltration operations continued for the third day in Uri and another in Nowgam sector. Havildar Madan Lal was killed in a gunfight on Tuesday while foiling an infiltration attempt in the Nowgam sector.
