Three militants held in Kulgam

Srinagar: Three militants, one of them injured, were "caught alive" during an ongoing operation by security forces since Tuesday in Kulgam district, where three more ultras, including a foreigner, are on the run.“Following specific information about presence of a group of six militants belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) at Waltingu in Kulgam, a joint search operation was launched by Special Operations Group (SOG) of state police, Army and CRPF on Tuesday,” Inspector General of Police (IGP) Muneer Khan, flanked by senior Army and CRPF officers, told a press conference.

However, he said when security forces were moving towards a particular area, militants hiding there, fired at them with automatic weapon. The security force also retaliated ensuing in an encounter.In the exchange of fire, Mr Khan said one Army jawan of 10th Sikh regiment and a HM militant, Muzamil were killed.

“In the past also, we have appealed to youth, who have joined militancy, to surrender even during encounters,” he said.The IGP said one of the militants, who was injured in the encounter while firing at security forces, was taken to hospital by the troops despite losing one of their comrades during the gunfight. 

Sticking to the commitments of giving chance to local militants to come back and join the main stream, he said, “In spite of the fact that we lost one of our soldiers during the operation in Kulgam, we apprehended three militants alive during this operation.”

Giving details about the arrests, he said Shamsul Viqar, who joined LeT in May this year, was apprehended by security forces at Wangam along with an AK47 rifle, Carbine and a pistol. “Viqar became active after an attack on police part at Malapora on May 6. He remained active with LeT. He was involved in a number of militant activities alongwith another militant Shakoor Dar,” the IGP said.(UNI)