Fatalities include 3 militants, 2 soldiers, 2 CRPF men, SPO
Assasins of BJP Bandipora leaders killed: IGP
Suhail Khan
Baramulla, August 18: The 32-hour long gunfight in Kreeri area of Baramulla on Tuesday ended with the killing of two Lashkar-e-Toiba commanders among three militants and two soldiers.
An official told Kashmir Despatch that the 2-day long encounter ended in Kreeri, taking the total death toll to eight including two CRPF personnel, two army men, J&K Police SPO, and three militants.
Talking to Kashmir Despatch a senior police officer said that operation was resumed in the wee hours of Tuesday exchange of fire took place between two sites, however in the day-long gunfight, another militant was killed.
He said a total of three militants including two Lashkar-e-Toiba militant commanders Usman a Pak resident, Sajad Hussain alias Haider of Sopore, his associate Anayatullah of Andergam.
Meanwhile Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar said that both LeT commanders were behind the killing of BJP leader Waseem Bari, his father & brother in the recent killing in Bandipora.
Kumar said they were also instrumental in recruiting youth into militancy and were Involved in several attacks on Police, SFs, civilians & political workers in parts of north Kashmir.
Pertinently, militants on Monday morning attacked a security forces party at Kreeri area in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district resulting into death of two CRPF personnel and one SPO (Special police official) while they were on their regular duty in the town.
Soon after the attack security forces cordoned the whole area and started chasing the militants.
“As a joint team of security forces approached the suspected spot, the militants surfaced again and started an indiscriminate firing on it.
In the exchange of fire two militants were killed on the spot a senior police official told Kashmir Despatch.
The officer informed Kashmir Despatch that there was a brief lull in the firing at the site of encounter, however, the firing resumed from an unknown location in the evening hours which resulted into serious injuries to the two army soldiers, one of whom succumbed to his injuries at MI hospital on Monday late evening, while another soldier succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Army in a statement issued to Kashmir Despatch said one more militant killed (Total three militants killed).
The statement said in the gunfight two soldiers were critically injured and have succumbed to their injuries.
The army statement further reads, 2 AK 47 and 3 pistols were recovered from the slain militants.
