Handwara:Three militants and a woman were killed in a night long encounter in North Kashmir’s Handwara town of frontier district Kupwara. Lashkar e Toiba (LeT) outfit has tributed the slain militants
Police said that a joint a team of Rashtriya Rifles of Indian Army, CRPF and SOG of Jammu Kashmir Police cordoned off Unsoo village of Handwara after receiving inputs about the presence of militants.
“The contact was established after militants resorted to heavy firing. During the exchange of fire three militants were killed who are all non-locals,” said a police official adding that a woman Misra Bano daughter of Muhammad Shaban was also killed in cross firing.
Director General of Police (DGP) S P Vaid said that three militants were killed in the gunfight.
In a tweet, he said that all the three militants, “apparently Pakistanis”, were killed by joint team of J&K Police, RR & CRPF.
“It has been raining whole night & boys (forces personnel) were out there in the cold,” he tweeted.
On Monday morning, scores of people hit to roads and placed the dead body of woman on road demanding magisterial inquiry. The protesters who raised pro-freedom slogans alleged that woman was killed by Government Forces.
Agitated youth pelted stones on the government forces who responded with tear smoke shelling. The clashes continued for hours. Eyewitnesses said that many protesters suffered injuries during the clashes.
The clashes disrupted traffic on the roads.
Authorities suspended mobile internet as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, police on Monday evening issued a handout about the said gunfight.
The statement reads “Acting on a specific input, Handwara police along with 22 RR and 92 Bn CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in Mir Mohalla area of Unisoo in the jurisdiction of Police Station Handwara. During search operation, terrorists hiding in the house of Abdul Hamid Mir fired upon the joint search party. The fire was retaliated, ensuing an encounter. Three unidentified militants of LeT were killed in this encounter. The identity of these militant is being ascertained. Three AK rifles along with other ammunition was recovered from the encounter site. During the encounter, one lady got injured in the cross firing and unfortunately she succumbed to her injuries.”
Meanwhile militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba has paid their immense tribute to the three militants and a local woman who were killed in a gunfight in Handwara town on Monday.
Mehmood Shah, the LeT Chief in a statement to local news gatheing agency CNS said that: “our mothers, daughters and sisters are equally sacrificing for the freedom struggle. Indian forces are indiscriminately committing war crimes. No ethics of any kind dwells in the hearts and minds of Indian forces. Such barbaric acts will soon prove to be an end to their times,” Shah said.
He added that the rendered sacrifices will not go in vain. “India will never succeed in its vicious plans. Kashmiris have been fighting an indigenous struggle for their truthful and just rights. India has illegally occupied the rights of Kashmiris. India has to quit Kashmir to ensure its survival,” Mehmood Shah said.
