SRINAGAR: On the second day of three-day visit of Home Minister Amit Shah to Jammu and Kashmir, a civilian was killed in a firing incident in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Sunday while three security men and an arrested Lashkar-e-Toiba militant were injured in fresh gunfight in Poonch forest area.
A police official said at around 10.30 am, militants attacked a Naka party of 178 Bn CRPF at Babapora, Shopian in south Kashmir. He said the CRPF men retaliated and during cross-firing, one person got killed.
The deceased has been identified as Shahid Aijaz of Anantnag.
“Further details are being ascertained,” the official said.
Another police official said a fresh gunfight took place between militants and security forces at the Bhatta Durrian forest area of Mendhar in Poonch district. He said the gunfight took place after the security men came under heavy fire from militants during the search operation in the forest area.
A police spokesperson said two policemen, a jawan along with a captured LeT militant from Pakistan were injured in the fresh firing.
“Zia Mustafa, who was arrested by troops 14 years back and was lodged at KotBalwal jail in Jammu, was taken to Bhatta Durian forest area for identification of militant hideout during the ongoing operation. When the team approached the hideout, militants fired on the search party in which two policemen, Army jawan and the arrested militant sustained injuries,” he said.
According to police, Zia Mustafa could not be taken out from the site due to heavy fire.
“The injured security men were shifted to a nearby health facility while additional troops have been rushed to the area to tighten the siege and retrieve injured Zia,” the spokesperson said adding the combing operation was going on.
According to police sources, Zia Mustafa, a resident of Rawalakot in PoK, was lodged in Kot Bhalwal jail for last 14 years and was taken to Mendhar on police remand after investigation revealed his alleged link with the hiding militants.
“The arrested militant (Zia) had sneaked into this side of J&K from the same route before being arrested by security forces from south Kashmir,” they said.
The security forces have launched a combing operation in the forest area of Dera Ki Gali (DKG) in Surankote and its adjoining areas in Poonch since October 11 after inputs about the presence of militants.
In the 13 day-long operation, nine army men including two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) were killed in gunfight with hiding militants. The militants keep on changing their locations after every gunfight and move into the dense forest area, defence officials said.
The security men have detained 10 persons including two women for questioning for allegedly providing food and shelter to the militants.