Early Times Report
Srinagar, Nov 20: Security forces have called off the search operation after no contact was established with the militants from last two days in the woods at frontier district of Kupwara, where a senior Army officer was killed and five other security personnel were injured in a militant attack on November 17. However, routine patrolling by security forces in the woods and areas near the Line of Control (LoC) will continue. Police sources told that no contact was established with the militants even after security forces had intensified the search operation in the area from the last two days. They said the militants, who had infiltrated from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) in the last week of October, might have crossed over to the other side of LoC. Therefore, the search operation, which lasted for over seven days, was concluded without making any fresh contact, they added.
Security forces had intensified the search operation in the area after Commanding Officer (CO) of 41 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) Colonel Santosh Mahadik was killed and five personnel, including an SOG, were injured after they were attacked by militants on November 17.
Security forces had air dropped Commandos in Sabhaya Benak forest of Haihama and its adjoining woods in Kupwara to zero in on the militants and helicopters were used for surveillance of the areas. The first contact with the militants was established on November 13 when an encounter took place in which two security personnel were injured and a militant was reportedly killed.
There was also brief encounter between militants and security forces on November 16, but the militants managed to escape in the woods.
However, there was fresh encounter on November 17, in which Colonel Santosh Mahadik was killed and five personnel, including an SOG personnel, were injured. The injured have been hospitalized.
Col Mahadik was second senior officer killed Jammu and Kashmir during the past one week. A Major was killed after he came under a snow avalanche at Siachan Glacier last week. |
