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| Huge success for police, security forces; five foreign militants eliminated in Kangan | | 'Slain militants had planned to target Amarnath Yatra' | | Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Aug 30: Police and security forces achieved a major breakthrough after eliminating five militants of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) including a district commander of the militant outfit during a fierce encounter in the Najawan forest range of Kangan area in Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district during the intervening night of August 29 and 30.
The encounter occurred during the preceding night and all the slain militants are said to be foreigners. The militants killed comprised the Asadullah group and they had plans to target this year's Amarnath yatra that culminated recently from Pahalgam and Baltal routes. Both the police and security forces have termed the killing of five militants as one of the major successes in the recent past.
A defence spokesman said that based on specific intelligence inputs regarding movement of militants in the Prang area of Najawan Forests of Kangan, 35 kilometers from Srinagar, a surgical and clinical joint operation named 'Operation Najawan' was launched by Army and SOG Ganderbal. The spokesman said that the operation was successful one resulting in elimination of five hardcore militants of HM.
"Specific information about the presence of a group of militants was received on the late night of August 29 based on which a joint operation was launched by the Rashtriya Rifles unit of 3 Sector Rashtriya Rifles and JK Police at midnight. Contact with the militants was established at 0130 AM on 30 Aug 13," said the defence spokesman.
The defence spokesman said that on being challenged by the troops militants fired back adding that a heavy firefight ensued, lasting for over two hours. He said that despite difficult terrain and poor visibility conditions, accurate fire was brought down on the militants which resulted in killing of all the five militants of HM.
"The operation was surgically conducted without any collateral damage or casualty to own forces. The five hardcore militants have been identified as foreign militants and belonged to the Asadullah Group of Hizbul Mujahideen. Among the slain militants was a dreaded militant Qari Asadullah, a known District Commander of Hizbul Mujahiddin believed to have been active in Ganderbal District for past seven years," said the defence spokesman.
The defence spokesman said that war like stores were recovered from the slain militants. These include five AK-47 Rifles, 11 magazines and seven grenades. Besides Qari Asadullah, the other militants killed in the gun fight were identified as Zubair, Javid, Fazal and Umar. A case FIR No. 89/2013 307 RPC and 7/27 Indian Arms Act has been registered in this regard. The slain militants were buried in the Wussan village of Kangan area.
Sharing details about the encounter General Officer Commanding (GOC) 28 Infantry Division R.R. Nimborker told reporters that during an encounter the Asadullah group of HM was intercepted by a joint team of troops of Rashtriya Rifles and police on early hours of Friday morning near Prang on Najwan ridge of forest, close to Srinagar-Leh highway.
The GOC said the forces had laid an ambush and asked the militants to lay down their arms. He said the militants opened fire on forces, which was quickly responded by killing all the five militants. The GOC said that they had specific information about the presence of the militants in the area for the last one year. "We had a specific information that a group of militants will cross the Sindh river. We laid the ambush and killed the militants," he said.
GOC also said that the militant group had planned to attack the recently concluded Amaranth yatra. He said the huge presence of security forces on Amaranth yatra duty foiled their attempt. He added the group was also planning to kill some political personalities in the area so that there is fear among the common masses. |
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