The Hindu : Front Page : Militant killed, encounter ends

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Sunday, Jan 09, 2005

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Front Page

Militant killed, encounter ends

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR, JAN. 8. The 26-hour-long encounter between the security forces and the two militants of the Al-Mansooreen ended here this evening. The Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir Zone, Javed Mukhdoomi told The Hindu that the operation ended at 5 p.m. after the lone militant was also gunned down.

Two policemen, a BSF officer, a CRPF jawan, an official of the Income Tax department were killed in the encounter. Fourteen persons sustained injuries of whom three are stated to be critical.

The joint operation launched by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the BSF and the CRPF soon after the fidayeen [suicide squad] struck yesterday resumed early morning today when it was found that one of the militants was still alive. A fresh gunbattle began in which a policeman, Mohammad Ashraf, was killed and five others were injured.

The forces later stormed the building, which was gutted in last evening's fire, and recovered the body of the IT official, Abdul Wahid. The militant was gunned down and the operation was called off.

Expressing grief over the death of the Deputy Commandant of the BSF, S. S. Rawat, the Deputy Inspector-General, BSF, K. Srinivasan, said: "He did a commendable job in neutralising the militants." It was a well co-ordinated operation, he added.

Shock at death

The sense of relief of the IT officials gave away to shock when they heard the news of their colleague's death. Manzoor Ahmed, who was the first to come out yesterday, still does not know how he managed it.

IT officer Shabir Ahmed Handoo saw a militant opening fire but managed to give him the slip.

"I feel relaxed as all my colleagues are safe," said Gulzareen Mushtaq another IT officer. Her husband Sheikh Mushtaq, the Reuters correspondent here, was in tears as he saw her climbing down from the first floor of the building.

Farhat Qureshi, IT Additional Commissioner, had a narrow escape as his office chamber went up in flames.

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Militant killed, encounter ends

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