SRINAGAR: Two militants and two soldiers were killed in militancy-related violence in strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. A police official said Special Operations Group (SOG) of J&K police, CRPF and army men launched a search operation at Pazalpora area of Dangiwacha in Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district early this morning after receiving credible inputs about the presence of militants there.
"As the search operation was going on, the hiding militants fired upon the search party. The fire was retaliated by troops, triggering an encounter," he said. In the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed and an army jawan critically injured.
The injured army jawan identified as Lance Naik Brajesh Kumar of 22 Rashtriya Rifles was taken to the military hospital in Srinagar, where he succumbed to injuries. Kumar had joined Army in 2004 and hailed from Nanawin village in Una district of Himachal Pradesh. He is survived by the wife and a daughter.
A police official said the identity of two militants killed in the encounter has to be ascertained. He said some arms and ammunition and incriminating material was recovered from the possession of the deceased militants.
In a related incident, a group of heavily armed militants attacked army camp of 42 Rashtriya Rifles in Lurgam, Tral area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district last night. Defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said a soldier Sepoy Ngamsiamliana was killed in the militant attack. Another soldier was injured in the militant attack and he has been hospitalised.
Sepoy Ngamsiamliana, 23, hailed from village Rengtekawn in Kolasib, Mizoram and had joined Army in 2013. Militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claimed responsibility for an attack on the army camp at Lurgam, Tral. He claimed that three army men were killed and many others injured in the attack.
"The attack was carried out as part of revenge attacks. Such attacks will continue," the Jaish spokesman said. Security forces launched Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs) in different areas of Pulwama and Shopian districts in south Kashmir after receiving information about the movement of militants. However, the operations were later called off after no contact with established with the militants.
The security forces are launching CASOs on specific information about the presence of militants.