Security forces have over the past 3 days cordoned off 8 sq km in Kulgam to flush out holed-up terrorists
It is turning out to be the mother of the anti-terrorism operations in south Kashmir. For the last three days, security forces have cordoned off eight square kilometres in the highly inhospitable region of Kulgam district to flush out the holed up terrorists.
A soldier and a terrorist have been killed while three ultras, including an injured one, have been arrested in the operation. Security forces are suspecting two more militants, including a foreigner hiding in the area, which is covered with dense forest and has a treacherous ridge-line.
“Operations are on. Specific areas are under cordon. A foreign terrorist and a local ultra are hiding in this area. We are looking for them and hopefully, we will get them”, said Munir Ahmad Khan, inspector general of police, Kashmir zone.
The operation was launched on November 14 after security forces received specific information about a group of six terrorists of Lashkar-e-Tioba and Hizbul Mujhadeen hiding in the Nowbug Kund village in Waltangu Nar of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
“On the first day, the encounter started after militants opened fire in which a jawan of 10 Sikh regiments of Army was martyred. One militant Muzamil was also killed”, said Khan.
The operation had all ingredients of drama, suspense, chase and thrill. Eight square kilometre area spread over thick forests, ridge-lines and treacherous passes were cordoned off by the joint team of army, police and CRPF.
There were four contacts with the terrorists at four different places in the cordoned area, which resulted in the killing of one terrorist and capturing of three others. Shamas ul Viqar, a cricketer-turned-terrorist, Bilal Ahmad Dar and Ata Mohammad, were dramatically arrested during the operation. Ata Mohammad had received burns in his legs during the encounter, but to managed to escape.
“He had escaped the cordon and was lying 200 meters away from the scene of action. But we had inkling those terrorist if escape will take that route. So we had established a naka. He was armed with pistol. When we saw him we told him to throw away the weapon and promised not to harm him. He threw away the weapon but could not stand up and raise hands. And it was then we went closer and removed him to the hospital for treatment,” said an officer.
Shamasul Viqar and Bilal too had escaped the cordon and boarded a Tata Sumo cab. When they saw our naka one of them who was sitting in the back seat tried to flee and the man in front tried to cock his gun and fire.
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