SRINAGAR: Army has launched a massive manhunt for the militant, who managed to escape after Thursday’s attack on army camp at Panzgam in border district of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir in which three soldiers including a young captain and two militants were killed.
“Troops are conducting combing operation in the villages adjacent to the army camp Panzgam that was attacked by heavily armed militants yesterday,” an army official said.
He said the searches were launched after it was found during initial investigation that three militants were involved in yesterday’s attack on army camp.
“Two of the attackers were killed while third managed to escape by leaving behind the weapon. We recovered three AK-47 rifles from the encounter site clearly indicating that three militants were involved in the fidayeen attack,” the official said.
He said the combing operation has been extended to the adjoining forest area as well.
“The army helicopters also assisting in the search operation,” the official said adding the combing operation will continue for some more time.
Another official said army has launched investigation into the militant attack to plug loopholes in security, if any.
“The officials are investigating how the militants first managed to reach near the camp without any detection. They are also investigating how they cut the barbed wire on the rear side of the camp without detection and how one of the militants escaped during the gunfight,” he said.
According to him, probe will help them plug any loopholes in security of army camps and other installations.
It is a routine for army to launch investigation after every militant attack, he said.
The Army today paid homage to three soldiers killed in yesterday’s militant attack. A wreath-laying ceremony was held at Badamibagh Cantonment, where GoC 15 Corps Lt Gen J S Sandhi and top civil and security officials paid rich tributes to 25-year-old Captain Ayush Yadav, Subedar Bhoop Singh Gurjar, 46 and Naik Botta Venkata Ramana, 38.
According to defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia Captain Ayush Yadav, who had established himself amongst his comrades as a spirited and daring soldier, is survived by his parents.
“Subedar Gurjar had joined Army in 1992 and is proudly remembered by his comrades as a highly professional soldier and a true patriot. He is survived by wife and two children,” he said.
Kalia said Naik Ramana had earned the respect of a warrior and was a friend to all.
He is survived by his wife and two children, he said.
Meanwhile, security forces today foiled rifle snatching and bank robbery attempt of militants in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
A police officer said two militants carrying bags entered premises of a building housing government treasury and branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank at Mehandi Kadal in Anantnag district to snatch weapon from the security personnel and loot the bank on gunpoint.
He said one of the militants shot at a CRPF man from a pistol, injuring his right hand.
“The militant tried to snatch rifle of injured jawan, who resisted the move and raised hue and cry. The other paramilitary personnel acted swiftly and arrested one of the attacker,” the police officer said.
He said the alert security men foiled the weapon snatching and bank robbery attempt of the militants.
The official identified the arrested militant as Muneeb Malla of Shopian. “His interrogation is going on”.
He said a manhunt has been launched to nab another militant.