J&K: Militants gun down soldier on leave in Anantnag

An army soldier, who was on leave, was shot dead by unidentified militants in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Thursday evening.

Reports said a Territorial Army (TA) man identified as Manzoor Ahmad Beigh was shot dead by the militants at his residence in Sadoora, Anantnag, 55 kms from here. Unconfirmed reports said Beg, who was posted with army’s 34-Rashtriya Rifles battalion, had gone home to celebrate Eid with his family when the incident occurred.

In May 2017, Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz, a 22-year-old army officer from neighbouring Shopian district, who was on leave, was abducted by militants from his relative’s house. His bullet-ridden body was found in Herman area of Shopian next morning.

Similarly, another soldier Aurangzeb was killed by militants in last June when he was going back to his home from Shopian to celebrate Eid with his family.

The TA is part of the regular Army whose role is to relieve the Army from static duties and assist the civil administration in dealing with natural calamities and maintenance of essential services in situations affecting communities, or the security of the country is threatened. The TA also provides uniformed units for the Regular Army when required. During the late 90’s and in the early years of the last decade, individual militants who were turned in by the army eventually made their way into the TA.

Militant killed

An unidentified militant was killed in an ongoing encounter between security forces and ultras in Pulwama district on Thursday.

Sources said a cordon-and search-operation was launched jointly by police and army’s 44 Rashtriya Rifles in Pulwama's Panjran village.

As the forces zeroed in towards the suspected spot, militants fired upon forces triggering an encounter. The body of a militant along with weapon has been recovered from the site, while the search operation was going for two more militants who are believed to be trapped.

Reports said clashes erupted between forces and stone-pelting youth near the encounter site.