Army officer injured, three militants killed in encounter in J&K's Baramulla

Three unidentified militants were killed while an army officer and two policemen were injured in an encounter between security forces and ultras in Pattan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday.

A police spokesperson said the gunfight broke out after a joint team of J&K police, Army’s 29-Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search-operation in Yadipora, the village of Pattan, 32 kms from here, during the wee hours of Friday.

“During the search operation as the presence of hiding terrorists got ascertained, they were given an opportunity to surrender. However, they refused and instead held two families consisting of 12 members including children as a hostage,” he said and added it was after strenuous efforts the family members were evacuated to a safer place.

The spokesperson said during the rescue operation one army Major and two police personnel were injured as the hiding militants fired upon the rescue party.

“In the ensuing encounter, three unidentified terrorists were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. The identification and affiliation of the killed terrorists are being ascertained,” he said. Arms and ammunition were recovered from the encounter site.

“The last rites of the killed terrorists shall be performed after conducting medico-legal formalities including the collection of their DNA. In case any family claims the killed terrorists to be their kith or kin, they can come forward for their identification and participation in last rites to PCR Baramulla,” he added.

On August 18, five security forces personnel and three Lashkar-e-Toiba militants were killed in a two-day encounter in Pattan after the ultras launched an attack on the security forces party.

Since the beginning of this year, security forces have killed over 160 militants, including 26 top commanders in J&K.