Among those killed was a top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen. At least two of the encounters were continuing at the time this report was filed.
After a lull of almost one year, fresh violence in Jammu and Kashmir has left 20 dead, including 13 militants and two soldiers, since Saturday. Nine of the militants were killed since Tuesday night in five separate encounters across the state.
While troops foiled four infiltration bids along the Line of Control (LoC) and killed eight terrorists on Tuesday night, a Hizb commander, Noor Mohommad Qadir, was gunned down in the Marmat-Doda region of Jammu division on Wednesday.
The first encounter started at Tangdhar in north Kashmir on Tuesday evening when troops noticed some movement near the LoC fence. When confronted, terrorists opened fire, forcing the troops to retaliate. Three militants have been killed so far.
Two terrorists were killed in the second encounter at Parakaran Gali in the Keran sector overnight. The third encounter, too, occurred in the same sector on Wednesday morning in which two more terrorists were killed. A solider is also said to have been injured in one of the incidents.
“All the encounters occurred close to the LoC fence. We are still carrying out our operation in the area,” said lieutenant colonel JS Brar, defence spokesman at Srinagar.
“Another encounter is on in the Pir Panchal range of South Kashmir and the details are awaited,” he said.
The army also foiled an infiltration bid in the Pooch sector of Jammu region, killing one terrorist. “Troops noticed a movement along the LoC on Tuesday night, and an encounter ensued. In the morning, we recovered the body of a militant with a weapon and some rucksacks,” said lieutenant colonel Biplab Nath, a defence spokesman at Jammu. Lt Col Nath said while the terrorist’s associates may have fled back across the LoC, a search is on.
The state police say the sudden spurt in violence is to destabilise the improving law and order situation in the state. “Stone-pelters and militants are two facets of the same coin. Both want to keep the pot boiling,” said HK Lohia, DIG central Kashmir range.
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