Soldier injured in Srinagar gunfight
Suhail Khan
SRINAGAR, July 25: A top commander of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was among two militants killed and an army soldier was injured during a gunfight between militants and government forces on Saturday morning, here in Ranbirgarh area on the outskirts of the Srinagar.
An official told Kashmir Despatch that a joint team of Army’s 29RR, SOG and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Ranbirgarh area on the outskirts of the Srinagar on Saturday morning following specific information about the presence of militants there.
He said as the forces were conducting the search,hidding militants fired upon them. The forces retaliated, triggering a gunfight.
In the ensuing encounter, 02 militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.
In intial exchange of firing one army soldier was also injured. The injured solidier has been shifted to 92 Base hospital for further treatment official added.
Meanwhile a police officer told Kashmir Despatch that one of the two slain militants was identified as Ishfaq Rashid, a resident of Sozeith in Srinagar. He was one of top LeT commanders active since 2018 and wanted in many cases of terror violence. The second militant has been identified as Aijaz Bhat, an important LeT cadre from Pulwama district of south Kashmir an AK-47 rifle and a pistol were recovered from the site of the encounter the officer added.
Police Version
Srinagar, July 25: On a specific input regarding the presence of militants in the village Ranbirgarh-Panzinara area of Srinagar, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by JKP, 29RR, and CRPF in the said area.
During the search operation as the presence of militants got ascertained they were given the opportunity to surrender, however they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter.
In the ensuing encounter, 02 militants were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.
Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes. There was no injury to civilians or loss of property during the said encounter.
In this connection, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered in Police Station Parimpora and investigation has been initiated.
